Commercial, multi-family, and city municipal facilities with vehicle wash equipment that uses potable water from Austin Water must submit an annual efficiency evaluation. A plumber licensed by the State of Texas must perform the evaluation. The due date is determined by the evaluation zone for the ZIP code for a facility’s physical address (see the list below to find your zone). Properties can complete the evaluation up to 90 days before its due date.

*Failure to submit the required documentation by the due date is a violation of the Water Conservation Code and will be subject to a Water Conservation Non-Compliance Fee of $758 for every month out of compliance, in accordance with the Austin Water Rates & Fee Schedule.

RESOURCES

EFFICIENCY STANDARDS

  1. No water leaks are present in the vehicle washing equipment;
  2. In-bay, hand-held spray wash equipment, including a spray wand or foaming brush, does not use more than 3.5 gallons of water a minute and has a trigger shutoff and protective weep;
  3. Portable pressure wash equipment must have a spray nozzle with a positive shut off and protective weep mechanism and shall not use more than the following:
    1. 3.5 gallons of water a minute for passenger vehicles including automobiles, delivery vans and buses; or
    2. 10.0 gallons of water a minute for commercial equipment vehicles such as front-end loaders, dump trucks, earth movers or other similar equipment
  4. A conveyor or drive through friction system does not use more than 35 gallons for each vehicle.
  5. A conveyor or drive through touchless system does not use more than 35 gallons for each vehicle.
  6. An in-bay automatic system does not use more than 75 gallons/vehicle for buses and other similar large vehicles.
  7. An in bay rollover automatic system does not use more than 45 gallons for each vehicle.
  8. Each chamois wringer has a positive shutoff valve.
  9. A system using reverse osmosis rinse water must reclaim, and reuse reject water.