How to Discharge Water from Power Washing
Power washing anything creates wash water. The Environmental Protection Agency considers wash water to be waste water and mandates its disposal in a way that complies with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Waste water that makes it way to the storm drains could easily make its way to local waterways, particularly in areas where water from storm drains is not treated before it enters rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. Essentially, discharging wastewater into the storm drain is the same as discharging it directly into such a body of water and thereby polluting it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Berms/booms
- Storm drain covers
- Wet/dry vacuum
- Portable containment area
- Oil-absorbent mat or boom
- Oil filter or separator
- Portable containers
Instructions
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Decide on a collection method. There are several collection methods, and there is one to suit the size and scope of your cleaning project. Methods include the use of vacuum pumps, booms/berms, portable containment areas, heightened storm drain covers, inflatable plumber's plugs, oil/water holding tanks, portable sump pumps, hoses and absorbents. Portable containment areas, as Santa Barbara, California's Project Clean Water describes them, can fit everything from a shopping cart to a truck and trailer.
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Protect storm drains. If a drain is located at the bottom of an incline, surround it with berms to prevent water from entering the drain. You might also cover the drains with storm drain covers.
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Wash the item in question in the portable containment pool. The wash water will remain in the pool for collection and disposal. After washing, collect the water in portable containers or use a vacuum to suck up the water you need to discharge.
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Filter out particles, oil and/or grease before discharging the water. Use an oil-absorbing mat or an oil-absorbing boom and/or oil separator or filter.
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Dispose of the waste water in a sanitary sewer. A sanitary sewer drains to a water reclamation plant and not a local waterway. At the reclamation plant, the waste water is processed to remove contaminants. If the sanitary sewer is not on your property or your business' property, make sure you have acquired the proper permits before disposing of it. Some cities require pH tests before discharging waste water.
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