Environmental issues

Water seems to be a never-ending issue for the industry. Many carwashes around the country — and the world — must contend with shortages of this precious resource. To contend with drought conditions, municipalities often impose water usage restrictions on businesses and individuals, which can impact carwashes’ operating hours and, consequently, profits.

Reclaim systems are an increasingly popular way to help washes conserve water and cash. To encourage the use of environmentally friendly practices like using water responsibly, the International Carwash Association (ICA) recognizes eligible carwashes as WaterSavers businesses.

Several criteria must be met in order to receive the WaterSavers designation, found at www.carwash.org/for-operators/watersavers.

Industry advancement

ICA also has initiatives geared toward moving the carwash industry forward in the business world.

Participation in the Wash Count program allows ICA members to receive quarterly information on how their carwashes compare with others. To receive the report, participants must submit data on their washes each month.

Wash Different Workshop is held every three years. It focuses on high-level concepts to help operators enhance their businesses. ICA’s national consumer study is released at these events, which are open to Basic and Premium Operator Members. The next workshop will take place in 2017.