I put together my own system

I mulled over this for a long time, and I think I've figured out a way. With fleets, the wash mat is probably the best application.
I will be doing a lot of parking lots. (Gum removal, Grease/oil stains). I came up with this idea: Carry a separate, smaller recovery tank. (You won't be able to recovery every drop--anywhere). I'll be using a powerful little vacuum pump. Electric power, 1.5 hp, hooks to regular 3/4" garden hose, recovers at a rate of 20 gals/min. (give or take, depending on distance you are sucking/pumping.) I figure you can use as much power cord as necessary to get the pump as close as you need it to minimize distance. Pump it into your recovery tank, and haul your water away for disposal at a facility, (or wherever you can get away with it).
It is equipped with a screen filter at the end of the intake hose to keep out debris. I figure vacuum up the majority of the water, and a wet/dry vac to get the rest with all the trash in it.
Only weighs just over 10 lbs. It's portable, so you can put it away and lock it up when you're not using it. Or figure out a way to permanently mount it on your rig.
Price? $205.00 (including tax and shipping) Freight charges may vary depending on your area of the country.
If any one is interested, shoot me an email, and I'll send you the website. It would probably be blocked here. randyd1@valornet.com

I'm not trying to rain on your parade - and actually, kudos on doing the right thing by exploring reclamation BUT a smaller tank.......you're using a 5.6 GPM machine if I read another post correctly. You're going to be dumping 336 gallons per hour plus chemicals, over 2500 gallons in an 8-hour job - how much is gonna fit in your smaller tank? Are you going to reload everything every hour or less to take your smaller tank to the APPROPRIATE (not anywhere you can get away with it!) place to dump it so you can go back and do another 336 gallons? Not to mention, that 336 gallons weighs pushing 3000 lbs - got that kind of pull power on your truck or weight rating on your trailer when you ad it to your machine and all the other contraptions we haul around?

There are other means to stay in compliance with the EPA. Maybe some of the big boys will have some input here

Celeste

I think I'd fly to Texas and bring my lawn chair a 6 pack and some cheetos to watch somebody shop vac up all that water from washing an entire parking lot. Our trucks all have 450 gallons waste water tanks which is usually big enough for one day of washing/recovering but we have had some jobs where we have had to send several of our trucks there after the work was done just to suck up all the water and then truck it out. Good luck. Where do you take the waste water to in the middle of the night?

There are tons of variables here but here is what I do

For the most part the lot I wash @ is a huge lot with drains spread apart on the lot .
I can wash 20-30 trucks with 5-600 gallon of h20. Outa that 5-600gal I only collect about 100 of that. If that!!

And All I do is use a sump pump. Most of the H20 seems to evapuate (spelling) I use one 50' extension cord and plug it into the the generator of the p/wer. $ 10.00
And use 1-2 55gal drums to pump it into. Total cost $ 69.00 for the pump - $12.00 for the hose and the tanks came free with the soap! Oh and I forgot I use a tarp and duct tape it down on the lot covering the drain. $ 10.00.

But the most important thing to do is CAPTURE and DISPOSE proper.
No matter what the technique you use >>>>>>>>>>> as long as it works and also saves you money!!

Thanks for your input, everyone. Celeste, my main tank will be 525 gals. You've got a good point about the smaller tank. Ok, let's say I get another 525 for wastewater. Assuming I recover ALL the water, at a recovery rate of 20 gals/min, it would only take just over 26 mins. Also, you can't figure 5.6 gals EVERY HOUR. That's if I had it wide open constantly, which is unrealistic. Good point, however on the dumpsite. I checked with the city where I'll be working on three particular jobs. They have what's called a combined sewer system. The sanitary sewer as well as the storm sewer are one system and are treated at the POTW. In this case, the wash water CAN be discharged in to the storm drains. It's a matter of research. Good point on the weight factor. My 1/2 Ton Dodge will have to bear the burden for a while until I can afford a bigger one. MAYBE I can save it from a painful death!! We'll see. Trailer cap. is 7,000lbs. No problem there.
North Coast, I didn't say anything about "shopvac-ing" the entire job. Didn't you read everything I wrote about the pump?
Regarding disposal: The EPA may have regs in place, but around here where I live, they really aren't enforced, except in the city limits. I have 40 acres out here of my own. As long as I can keep it out of the creeks that water cows, I don't see a problem. There are lots of oil field tankers that pump saltwater out of active wells, and haul it away for disposal, but I'm fairly certain they don't get ALL of it, either.

What are you going to do with all of the solid waste you generate? After washing the parking lot you are going to have a large amount of debris small stones and asphalt. Can waste water be dumped into a sanitary, storm or combined system, should it not first be filted to removed oil and then have PH checked before dumping into sanitatry? Dumping it on your own property is at great risk, it will make its way back into the water table, but do as you would like.

waste water

I'm NOT tryin to get a north-south, rural - urban, thingie goin here, so don't read too much into this....just my opinion as a newbie tryin to get a p/w business goin here in Tx. Grasshawg is asking the questions we need asked. We have very little run-off here in the sunbelt with <20% humidity, even working late night. I've also come to the conclusion that here power washing is a step child to "real" business. Most of the govt entities I've tried to get info from about rules/regs don't know what I should do. Most tell me check the other, higher authorities ( i.e. city says check county, county says check the state... etc) very frustrating !!! I have been able to get more info from other outdoor contractors ( hydromulch, etc.). The common thread is SOME cities are real bears to work in, most have no idea/don't care about you.

I haven't even started tryin to bid yet, because I want to do the right thing with this. I am not goin in "under the table" ... therefore, I still have no income from this little venture ...

My $.02 .
Thanks [white]

North Coast, There's where the wet/dry vac comes into play. As I said at the beginning of this thread, the pump takes care of the MAJORITY of the wastwater, and to save wear and tear on the pump, the wet/dry vac gets the remainder with all the crap in it. Ridgid Tools has a fine model w/16 gal capacity. No, in this case, w/a combined system, ph DOES NOT have to be tested before disposal.
Do a YAHOO search on ENVIRONMENTAL MOBILE PRESSURE POWER WASHING. The first result should be an article published by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Cleaning System sof Fort Worth. That should clear up any misunderstanding. It was provided to me by Mark, I believe, on another thread. he deserves credit for it, but I read it thoroughly. It will be a big help for all of us, as a matter of fact.
Yes, of course, ph should be checked before dumping into sanitary. Never said that either.
I'm likely wrong about dumping on my own property, but that is where me and the EPA part ways. But know this: I WILL make every effort to be compliant.


By the way, DK, did you get my email?

Congratulations grasshawg for taking the proactive method. Research, adjust where needed and keep learnng. Proper recovery does not have to be outrageously expensive, as you are finding out. Keep at it and remember some people think they are above all others.

I dont understand????

Why would we think that we are above all others by giving our opinion?


It is a crazy freakin world!

You are okay Dan. You always provide some form of help.

Just to set the record straight: I welcome ALL critisism, positive AND negative. Keeps me on my toes. Plus, someone might have a point to make that I haven't even thought of. That's the whole idea of a forum.
But know this: Some people may be out to make me look foolish, which I can handle as well.
I have NEVER taken on any task with less than 100% effort, and I don't intend on starting now. If I post it here, it's only after I have thought about it at length. May stiil need to do some research on it, but trust me, I believe in tackling a problem by myself if I can, then asking for help if unsuccessful. Sometimes end up learning some hard lessons, but the best way to learn is by making mistakes, and we ALL MAKE MISTAKES.

yeah I made a couple................................THOUSAND .................. in my life time