Toyota dealers saving water by reducing car washes

Toyota dealerships statewide are offering customers a chance to save water with its “The Wash Can Wait” program.

Customers are now given the chance to decline the complimentary car wash that follows a service appointment, with the company’s end goal to reduce car washes by 75% in July and August and save 20 million gallons of water. That’s enough to cover almost 50 football fields with a foot of water.

More than 70% of Toyota’s California dealers are participating, with the remaining 30% lacking a car wash facility or using recycled water for washes.

“Community involvement and environmental issues are very important to Toyota dealers,” said Pete Carey, general manager of the San Francisco region of Toyota Motor Sales. “As Californians, we’re looking to do our part to ease the water crisis and hope The Wash Can Wait Campaign will heighten water conservation and inspire our customers during the dry summer months.”

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Toyota dealers saving water by reducing car washes."