Car wash fundraisers not so good for local waterways
By Terasa Lott
One of my favorite weekend activities is grabbing a bite to eat with my husband since our weekly schedules often keep us from eating meals together. This past weekend, my heart sank as we pulled in to a local eating establishment and saw a car wash fundraiser was taking place.
I bet you’re wondering why a carwash fundraiser evoked that kind of response. You see, most paved parking lots contain one or more storm drains to prevent flooding. Water entering storm drains flows directly into nearby creeks, streams, and rivers without receiving any kind of treatment. That means the soap along with everything else washed from the vehicles has direct access to a body of water.
You might think it’s no big deal but I guarantee when you start thinking about what gets washed off vehicles, you’ll be thankful you aren’t a bream swimming around in Jeffries Creek or Lynches River. In addition to road grime, wash water may contain oil, grease, vehicle fluids, and heavy metals. Don’t forget about all of the things that have accumulated on the parking lot surface since the last rain which are now being flushed away as well. That doesn’t sound like stuff I want to be swimming around in.
I applaud those involved in carwash fundraisers for their efforts to earn funds so here are some options that help keep our creeks and streams healthy for people, pets, and wildlife:
• Sell commercial car wash coupons instead.
• Check with a DIY car wash about renting a bay for the day.
• Arrange to host the car wash on a grassy area where the water will have a chance to disperse and soak into the ground instead of running into a storm drain.
It might not seem like your activities make a difference but cumulatively, car washing activities can mean big problems for our local waterways. Here are some additional tips for washing vehicles and protecting our water resources:
• Use a commercial car wash (either self-service or machine wash) where wash water drains to the sanitary sewer.
• Use phosphate free soap.
• Empty your soapy water and rinse your rags in an area where it can filter into the ground.
Terasa Lott is a Clemson University Water Resources Agent.