Wash Your Car While Caring for Our Rivers

City of Rochester, Public Works Department

507/328-2440, aplute@rochestermn.gov  

There is no problem with washing your car.  It is just where and how you do it.  If you wash your car on a paved driveway, street, or parking lot, the dirty wash water runs across the pavement, into the storm sewer and ends up in our lakes, rivers, and wetlands. The wash water contains contaminates such as oil, grease, metals, detergents, and phosphorous that are either harmful to fish or cause excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae.

The best way to avoid these contaminates from getting into our water is to take your car to a commercial car wash. At commercial car washes, the wash water is sent to the sanitary sewer and treated to remove pollutants.

If you like washing your own car, or are involved in car wash fund raisers, follow these clean water tips:

Choose a biodegradable and phosphate-free soap and use it sparingly. Most stores carry at least one phosphate-free and biodegradable car wash product; take the time to look at labels. Or try washing without soap.

• Wash your car on gravel or other pervious surface that can soak up wash water. Washing cars on grass is an option, but runs the danger of compacting soil and damaging tree roots.
• Use a hose nozzle with a trigger to save water.
• Pour your bucket of wash water onto the lawn or down the sink when you’re done, not on the driveway or street.

Remember that curbside storm drains connect to nearby lakes, rivers, and wetlands – what we do on our property affects the quality of our water. To learn more about ways to protect water quality around your home and neighborhood, visit www.rochesterstormwater.com.

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