Hey Y'all,

I recieved a question today about the new stage three water restrictions in Florida. 

There is verbage in the document that apears to create an issue for pressure washers performing cleaning services.

However this is a battle that has been fought before. In 1999 & 2000 Florida was going through stage three restrictions then and it was slowing my business (mallard systems) for the one fact that the average homeowner was seeing so much bad press about the restrictions they had blocked the possibility of cleaning from their head. Leads came to a slow dribble.

Also a few years ago Kory Finley here in Florida lead a group of pressure washers to fight simular water restrictions winning and geting verbage placed within the water restriction document that protected professional pressure washing companies.

In every case I have seen pressure washing companies were victorious in getting the local water authority to allow them to continue in their business practices. However that in of it's self did not erase the mental block that potential customers will have during the frenzy of press about the water restrictions.

I have attached below a letter that Mallard Systems recieved from the St Johns Water Management District allowing us to continue to wash during water restrictions.  You will clearly see that because we used a chemical injection cleaning system with a water metering / shut off device that we were granted a variance or exemption from the water restrictions.

Now the water restriction document here in Florida specifically addresses by name "PRESSURE WASHING" last time I checked we are not pressure washers! We are soft washers. In fact many of you have low ball pressure washers cleaning roofs for $200.00 each and it is driving you crazy! Now is an excellent time to raise your prices, get an exemption letter, communicate with the HOA's that they can still enforce clean home standards when using your SoftWash System and kick your competitors butts!

In fact some of you still pressure wash. GREAT call Jerry with Siracco Systems in California and get the items you need to make your pressure cleaning system a closed loop system. You can get an exemption for that as well.

Here is the link for a petition for varience for the South West Florida Water Management District.

 http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/restrictions/variance_petition.pdf

The SWFWMD simplified the doc by stating this on their website,

Pressure Washing

• Pressure washing is allowed for necessary purposes such as prior to painting or sealing, in order to maintain a paint or material warranty, to address a health or safety hazard and to comply with health laws.
• Aesthetic concerns, even those raised by an HOA in accordance with its deed restrictions, do not constitute a “necessary” purpose. 

Firstly see that it addresses pressure washing.

Secondly see that it already has verbage that excludes cleaning for necessary purposes.

Thirdly see how it includes exclusion for maintaining material warranty, health, safety and hazard.

Fourthly see how it limits deed restricted communities from PRESSURE WASHING. Now offer the alternitive, Soft Washing.

As far as I can see here for pressure washing there is no issue. Apply for an exemption and clean for material warranty, health and or safety reasons and make sure you state that in all of your quotes and sales materials.

As for Soft Washing I see this as being a HUGE oportunity to spell out the wonderful features and benifits of our industry. 

1. We use one third of the water a pressure washer would.
2. The chemicals do all of the cleaning.
3. A true soft wash rig can be equipped with a 12 volt pump that uses no fosile fuels.
4. Soft washing lasts 4 to 6 times longer that pressure washing using hundreds of thousands of gallons less water than regular / bothersome pressure washing.

It's time for all of us to use this as a HUGE advantage to our companies to garnish a larger piece of the market share and profoundly point out that soft washing is absolutely the most enviromentally responsible way to clean exterior surfaces today.

AC