Wash Water Program
Clean Water Services’ Wash Water Program applies to your business if you wash or steam clean vehicles. It also applies to mobile cleaning operations. The types of vehicles may include highway maintenance trucks, taxicabs, buses, rental cars, new and used autos on lots, government and company cars, construction equipment, fork lifts, golf carts, riding lawn mowers and similar large vehicles. Wash water from cleaning activities can contribute toxic hydrocarbons and other organic compounds, oils and greases, nutrients, heavy metals, and suspended solids to stormwater runoff. The soaps used for washing can also be a pollutant. Soaps with phosphates promote algal growth which can reduce dissolved oxygen in streams and rivers.
Vehicle and equipment washing operations must discharge all wastewater with soap or chemicals to the sanitary sewer system, or apply for a NPDES permit from the Department of Environmental Quality. The urbanized area of Washington County has separate sanitary sewers and stormwater systems. Most likely, washing activities will be required to discharge into the sanitary system. If you discharge wash water to the sanitary system, you will need to meet Clean Water Services’ Best Management Practices (BMPs) requirements. Clean Water Services will issue a BMP permit to cover this type of operation.
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