Car Washing
Outdoor Car Washing
This management measure involves educating the general public on the water quality impacts of the outdoor washing of automobiles and how to avoid allowing polluted runoff to enter the storm drain system. Outdoor car washing has the potential to result in high loads of nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons during dry weather conditions in many watersheds, as the detergent-rich water used to wash the grime off our cars flows down the street and into the storm drain.
Commercial Car Wash
Commercial car wash facilities often recycle their water or are required to treat their wash water discharge prior to release to the sanitary sewer system, so most stormwater impacts from car washing are from residents, businesses, and charity car wash fundraisers that discharge polluted wash water to the storm drain system.
Surveys
Two surveys of households who wash their own cars in Washington state found 60% of residents could be classified as chronic car-washers, i.e., they washed their car at least once a month (Smith, 1996 and Hardwick, 1997). Between 70 and 90% of residents reported that their car wash water drained directly to the street, and presumably, to the nearest stream.
It has been estimated that 25% of the population of the United States may be classified as chronic car washers, which translates into about 27 million potential residential car wash polluters (CWP, 1999).
This management measure involves educating the general public on the water quality impacts of the outdoor washing of automobiles and how to avoid allowing polluted runoff to enter the storm drain system. Outdoor car washing has the potential to result in high loads of nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons during dry weather conditions in many watersheds, as the detergent-rich water used to wash the grime off our cars flows down the street and into the storm drain.
Commercial Car Wash
Commercial car wash facilities often recycle their water or are required to treat their wash water discharge prior to release to the sanitary sewer system, so most stormwater impacts from car washing are from residents, businesses, and charity car wash fundraisers that discharge polluted wash water to the storm drain system.
Surveys
Two surveys of households who wash their own cars in Washington state found 60% of residents could be classified as chronic car-washers, i.e., they washed their car at least once a month (Smith, 1996 and Hardwick, 1997). Between 70 and 90% of residents reported that their car wash water drained directly to the street, and presumably, to the nearest stream.
It has been estimated that 25% of the population of the United States may be classified as chronic car washers, which translates into about 27 million potential residential car wash polluters (CWP, 1999).