Sonny's to distribute Moleaer nanobubble water treatment to wash operators
The equipment maker will sell nanobubble reclaim technology through its network, aiming to help operators reuse more water and cut freshwater costs.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Sonny's Enterprises has agreed to distribute Moleaer's nanobubble water treatment technology to carwash operators across the United States, a move aimed at helping washes reuse more of their reclaimed water and reduce reliance on freshwater. The agreement makes the nanobubble systems available through Sonny's existing distribution network and its relationships with operators, according to reporting from Professional Carwashing & Detailing.
The partnership targets a common limitation in water reclaim: quality. Many washes already recapture water, but conventional reclaim systems mostly remove heavier materials, leaving behind oils, soaps, waxes and low oxygen levels that degrade water quality and cause odors. Those shortcomings push operators to lean on freshwater, driving up both water and sewer bills.
How the technology works
Moleaer's patented process introduces oxygen nanobubbles into reclaim water. The company says this supports aerobic conditions, reduces odors and improves the separation of suspended solids, oils, soaps and waxes so they are easier to remove. The result, according to the two companies, is more consistent reclaim water that can be reused in more stages of the wash, allowing operators to get more out of equipment they already own.
The systems are designed to integrate with existing reclaim and reverse osmosis setups, with configurations suited to different wash applications. That means the technology is positioned as an add-on rather than a full replacement of current water handling infrastructure.
What each company brings
Andrew Smulski, chief commercial officer of Sonny's, described the arrangement as a "customer-first partnership" that gives operators more ways to cut freshwater use and water costs while improving profitability. He pointed to pairing Moleaer's treatment expertise with Sonny's scale and operator relationships as a way to reach more customers.
Josh Bachner, senior vice president of marketing and corporate development at Moleaer, framed the deal as a response to an industry shift toward greater water reuse. He said the next step is making reclaimed water suitable for more applications throughout the wash, and that the distribution agreement gives operators a practical route to lower freshwater consumption and costs while maintaining wash quality.
Why it matters for operators
Water and sewer charges are a recurring cost that grows with volume, and in many markets both availability and pricing are tightening. Any technology that raises the quality of reclaimed water lets an operator reuse a larger share of it, which directly reduces freshwater draw and the associated bills. For high-volume express sites in particular, incremental gains in reuse percentage can add up over a year.
The practical angle here is distribution. Moleaer's nanobubble technology is not new, but routing it through Sonny's network makes it easier to source, specify and service alongside other equipment an operator may already buy from the same supplier. Operators weighing the investment should ask for site-specific data on how much additional reuse the system enables, how it integrates with their current reclaim and reverse osmosis units, and what the payback looks like against their local water and sewer rates. Odor control is a secondary benefit worth noting, since water quality complaints can affect the customer experience in tunnels that recirculate heavily. As always, treat vendor efficiency claims as a starting point for your own measurement.
