Minnesota C-store Boasts First-of-Its-Kind Car Wash System

NEW HOPE, Minn. — Taking "environmentally friendly" to a new level, Now Mart Gas & Groceries is boasting Bio Complete 15000, a first-of-its-kind car wash system.

Aqua Bio Technologies' Bio Complete 15000 water restoration system was installed earlier this month. It removes used chemicals from the water, allowing it to be reused in 90 percent to 95 percent of the wash.

The company's Pro Rain Water Harvest system was also installed, which collects rainwater from a roof and/or paved lot and uses a vortex separation unit to remove gravel, sticks, leaves and other solids.

"We're setting the standard in Minnesota for other vehicle washes as we take being environmentally friendly to an entirely new level," said Chris Robbins, owner of Now Mart. "A busy car wash can guzzle more than 4 million gallons of water a year, but by implementing an Aqua Bio system, we'll save millions of gallons of water annually. Rainwater from across the property will be captured, filtered and diverted to a system of underground tanks that can hold 100,000 gallons of water. Separate tanks will store water recycled from the car wash tunnel. Our goal is to avoid using city water for most months of the year."

New Hope-based Now Mart is a family-owned business whose mission is to provide "fresh, fast, and always friendly" products and services.

Founded in 2010, Darien, Ill.-based Aqua Bio Technologies LLC is a global provider of innovative biologic restoration, water reclaim, rain harvest, odor control and reverse osmosis systems.

"We are incredibly proud to have our first-of-kind system at Now Mart in Minnesota and we hope to provide many more as vehicle wash owners look for ways to protect the environment by drastically reducing their dependence on city water and sewer," said John P. Gibney, vice president and general manager of Aqua Bio Technologies.