| United States | Office of Water | EPA 832 R-92-006 |
| Environmental Protection | (WH-547) | September 1992 |
| Agency |
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What follows is excerpts from the Manual for Vehicle Washing, Pages 3-13 and 3-14. This document EPA832R92006 is available free from NCEPI at: Phone: 800-490-9198, Fax: 513-489-8695.
3.4 BMPS FOR VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT WASHING
Washing vehicles and equipment outdoors or in areas where wash water flows onto the ground can pollute storm water. Wash water can contain high concentrations of oil and grease, phosphates, and high suspended solid loads (these and other potentially harmful substances can pollute storm water when deposited on the ground where they can be picked up by rainfall runoff). Vehicle wash water is considered to be a process wastewater and needs to be covered by an NPDES permit. Contact your permitting authority for information about how vehicle wash water is being regulated in your area.
The following questions are designed to help you find sources of storm water contamination from vehicle and equipment washing and to select BMPS to reduce those sources. Reading this section can help you eliminate, reduce, or recycle pollutants that otherwise may contaminate storm water. Also refer to Vehicle Washing BMP in Section 4.4.
Question: Have you considered using phosphate-free biodegradable detergents?
Answer: Phosphates, which are plant nutrients, can cause excessive growth of nuisance plants in water when they enter lakes or streams in wash water. Some States ban the use of detergents containing high amounts of phosphates. Contact your supplier about phosphate-free biodegradable detergents that are available on the market.
| VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT WASHINGACTIVITIES THAT CAN CONTAMINATESTORM WATER: |
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Question: Are vehicles, equipment, or parts washed over the open ground?
Answer: Used wash water contains high concentrations of solvents, oil and grease, detergents, and metals. Try not to wash parts or equipment outside. Washing over impervious surfaces like concrete, blacktop, or hardpacked dirt allows wash water to enter storm drains directly or deposits contaminants on the ground, where they are washed into storm drains when it rains. Washing over pervious ground such as sandy soils potentially can pollute ground water. Therefore, small parts and equipment washing should be done over a parts washing container where the wash water can be collected and recycled or disposed of properly.
| EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IS THE KEY: |
| Getting employees interested in reducing waste is the key to a successful storm water pollution prevention plan. Discuss pollution prevention with your employees. They are most familiar with the operations that generate wastes and may have helpful waste reduction suggestions. Consider setting up an employee award program to promote pollution prevention. |
If you are washing large equipment or vehicles, and have to wash outside, designate a specific area for washing. This area should be bermed to collect the wastewater and graded to direct the wash water to a treatment facility. Consider filtering and recycling vehicle wash water. If recycling is not practical, the wastewater can be discharged to the sanitary sewer. Contact your local sewer authority to find out whether treatment is required before wash water is discharged to the sewer (pretreatment).
| SUMMARY OF VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT WASHING BMPS |
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Environmental Power Washing Reports and Ordinances
RAHSCO Cleaning Systems
2513 Warfield Street, Fort
Worth, Texas 76106-7554
Phone: 800-433-2113; Fax: 817-625-2059
URL:
http://www.dcs1.com/del ; email:
rahsco@dcs1.com
Last updated: October 30, 1997 by Robert M Hinderliter
Copyright
1997 RAHSCO Cleaning Systems. All rights reserved.