After months of debate, Harlingen sets car wash regulations to control boom

HARLINGEN — After nearly nine months of debate, city officials are taking steps to scrub car washes off the city’s main streets, arguing the businesses are guzzling too much water amid the deepening drought.

As a growing number of area cities call for restrictions amid a national car wash boom, city commissioners are setting two-mile gaps between any incoming car washes and about 22 of the businesses opening across town.

Since March, Commissioner Rene Perez has been pushing to control the boom, arguing the industry’s rapid spread is eating up prime commercial lots along the city’s main streets.

On Wednesday, he and Mayor Norma Sepulveda argued car washes’ high water usage is dipping into regional reserves as the Amistad and Falcon reservoirs steadily drop to 20% levels.

The argument, backed by a WaterWorks’ report showing the Blue Wave car wash — the city’s biggest — used more than 11 million gallons of water last year, helped lead commissioners to vote 5-1 for regulations, with Commissioner Michael Mezmar casting the dissenting vote.

“The real issue here is conservation,” Sepulveda told commissioners during Wednesday’s meeting. “That is something that is impacting the whole region.”

So far in the Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, Brownsville, Edinburg and Alamo have called for restrictions on the businesses.

“I know this has come to the commission a couple of times, but it seems now Harlingen is kind of really late to the game,” Sepulveda said.

Meanwhile, car washes don’t pump sales tax revenue into city coffers, she said.

“We know that businesses that bring in the sales tax help us bring down our tax rate,” Sepulveda said. “There’s no sales tax that you can get from car washes … so the amount of water being used is substantial.”

Months ago, Perez warned the booming industry was turning Harlingen into “the car wash capital of the Valley.”

“This is something not only for conservation efforts, but this is something the community needs,” he told commissioners. “That’s one concern that keeps popping up over and over again when I talk to some of my residents from my district. They mention, ‘What’s up with all the car washes?’ This is something that really bothers the community. Car washes have become a tagline for people.”

Perez argued restrictions aren’t aimed at banning car washes from doing business in town.

“This is not out of the ordinary. This is not anti-business,” he told commissioners. “We’re in a major drought. You have all these other cities … that have taken the lead and, honestly, it’s kind of frustrating for me just lagging behind.”

During discussion, Commissioner Ford Kinsley called on commissioners to consider other high-volume industries.

“I think it’s a great idea. I understand the reservoirs are low,” he said. “I would just ask that we apply the same level of scrutiny to any other high user.

“It’s got to be a one-size-fits-all in my world. It can’t just be car washes. You use a lot of water, you should be scrutinized the same.”

Commissioner Daniel Lopez agreed.

“I caution the commission to be cognizant of the precedent we set,” he said. “I think a priority … is that we take affirmative actions and steps to see what water conservation plans we can do for all industries.”

In response, Sepulveda requested Xavier Cervantes, the city’s planning director, work to draft a proposal aimed at regulating other high-water users.

“We need to be conserving water and requiring these recycling components in all major consumption businesses,” Sepulveda told commissioners.

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