What to do with wastewater?

R

rebel88

New member
I am trying to work through all the various processes of starting my own deatiling service, but I have been able to find little information concerning wasterwater and its reclamation. I tried searching zoning websites, water utilites, etc., but had no luck. So, I guess I have two questions for the board.

1. Do you try and collect your wastewater and if so what do you use?

2. What city or state agency did you work with to understand what needed to happen in regards to wastewater produced during detailing?

Thanks vary much for any information you have to offer.

Matt
 
The neighborhood that I live in has a "No Car Wash" zoning, except if you can collect the water and dispose of it "somewhere else" (not specified).

What I do is park my car in two, uninflated, kiddies wading pools - one under the front wheels and one under the rear. Together they extend past the front and rear bumpers and touch in the middle.

I then inflate the pools with my air compressor, wash and rinse the car with the water collecting in the wading pools, suck out the water with a small submersible pump I bought from Sears ($45 - I think). A wet/dry vac takes care of what the pump can't get. I pump the wastewater into 5 gallon plastic jerry cans. I repeat the process on the other side of the car.

I had the city water dudes pay me a visit while I was doing a was job last Thursday (courtesy of our neighborhood water Nazi) and they were impressed and gave me a thumbs up on the whole process.

I am not disclosing the process for getting rid of the wastewater that I collect. No one has asked me that yet, and I am not volunteering any information until I am forced to.
 
Rebel88,
Most municipalities have exclusions for business use of water. Meaning, you as a business, may be able to wash a car where its residents cannot, not always though. I work in an area that says waste water cannot run into the streets period. In this area, I pull the cars onto the lawn for washing. You'l have to check your area. Otherwise, there are no EPA regulations about not letting low PH cleansers, such as car wash soap, enter the environment. This is not the case for high PH degreasers like the ones used for engines. For this you must have a reclamation system. Though I've looked into them, I've found them to be not worth it. You should be able to find ways around local regulations in most cases.
 
Oh and Rebel,
Call your local EPA office for local rules and regulations. And a hint, if they ask, don't tell them your business name. Just tell them you are doing research for school or something stupid like that. Don't give them any reason to watch you.
 
freedre, you are a genious! That is an excelent way to save the water.

In my area, (as a mobile detailer) I cant let wash water enter storm drains. I can wash freely if over gravel or something where the water will asorb into the ground though.

I normally use QEW though. I use about a gallon of water for cars, and a gallon and a half for SUVs. Hardly any water hits the ground. I then use the left over QEW to clean the rims.

I have been carrying my water in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid, pouring it into smaller buckets when I get to the job site, and then pouring it back into the 5 gallon bucket when im all done. I can then dispose of it into the sewer at home (through the sink or whatever).
 
QEW is the way to go. Use it as a selling point to your customers. The fact that you're saving water etc.
 
Disposal of the water can be as simple as disposing of it where it will be treated at a local sewage treatment plant - i.e. a sink, toilet, bathtub, clean-out trap for your house, etc. From what I gather from the local ordinances, as long as it doesn't drain into a storm drain, which here means it will end up in the Pacific Ocean, all is ok - meaning, (I quote from my local county contact) "poor it on your grass, your planter, or the neighbors flower bed, and you're within the realm of the law -- the latter may get you into trouble in other ways though"
 
Thanks everyone for all the helpful replies. I will contact my local EPA office and let you know what I find out.
 
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