Cleaning your car the right way to protect the environment

Washing your Car:

Washing your car outside in the sun can be a fun chore for kids or adults during the summer months. However, we are not thinking about where the soap and other grease and grime that is washed off the car is ending up. This soap, grease, dirt, water mixture flows easily and quickly down the driveway right into the stormwater system. The stormwater system does provide any further treatment to that soap, grease, and water mixture is discharged right into our local streams, rivers, and lakes.  Soaps can damage the external mucus layer on fish that protects them from bacteria and parasites and can also promote excess algal growth creating unsuitable environments for marine life. It is important to limit the number of detergents and chemicals entering the storm system to keep our natural waters clean. 

Prevention:

To prevent this pollution from entering our local waterways, it is important that if you’re washing the car at home outside, that you have parked your car on the grass to allow the grass to filter the soap and grease out of the water before reaching the storm drain. By parking the car on the grass, it also reduces the rate and amount of water that would reach the storm drain. Using biodegradable or eco-friendly soap products could also be used to limit the number of detergents and chemicals from reaching the grass.

Other alternatives could be washing your car in the garage if you have a drain or going to the car wash. These drains output to the sewer system, which lead to the wastewater treatment plants that filter the water before being discharged into the waterways. By simply changing the way you wash your car you can help prevent local water pollution and promote clean environments.