Car Washing
For many , car washing is a spring and summertime ritual . Often , citizens do not know that by washing off all of the grime that accumulates on their vehicles , that they might actually be causing harm to our local waterways .
When cars are washed on streets and driveways , that dirty water eventually ends up in rivers , streams , creeks , and lakes . Washing one car may not seem to be a problem , but collectively , car washing activity adds up to big problems for our local water sources . Pollution associated with car washing degrades water quality and also finds its way into sediments , impacting aquatic habitats .
STORMWATER FACT : Car washing is a pollution problem because many metals and automotive fluids are washed off along with the soapy water . Water does not disappear when it goes down the street . It usually enters a storm drain inlet , and then flows to a waterway . Even biodegradable soap can be toxic to aquatic habitats . Just one gallon of liquid soap will pollute 200,000 gallons of water .
The Problem
Washing your car is only a problem if you do not know where or how to do it correctly . The average homeowner uses 116 gallons of water to wash one car . Most commercial carwashes use 60 percent less water for the entire process than a homeowner uses just to rinse one car .
Outdoor car washing has the potential to result in high loads of nutrients , dirt , metals , and hydrocarbons entering our waterways as the detergent-rich water used to wash the grime off of cars flows down the driveway and the street . Dirty water containing soap , detergents , residue from exhaust fumes , gasoline , heavy metals from rust , metals and other elements from brake linings , rubber , trace amounts of benzene and chromium , and motor oils can wash off cars and flow directly to storm drains and into the nearest creek or stream where it can harm water quality and wildlife .
Small concentrations of detergents in streams can kill fish and their eggs , as well as inhibit their ability to reproduce . Detergents can also destroy the natural protections fish have against bacteria and parasites and can severely damage a fish ’ s gills .
The phosphates from soap can also cause excess algae to grow in our waterways . Excessive algae growth makes water cloudy , green , unattractive , smelly , and unhealthy for swimming , boating , fishing , or drinking .
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