Clean Bay Project Model Program Action Mobile/Charity Car Wash Ordinance The Goal: Protect Bay Wildlife by reducing vehicle–related pollutants in storm water runoff The Situation Vehicles get us places, but in the process, they generate a variety of pollutants that foul our waterways. Perhaps most obviously, cars – including hybrid and biodiesel-fueled vehicles – drip oil and other fluids that are toxic to wildlife. Each year Bay Area residents contribute more motor oil to coastal waters than oil tankers. In fact, Bay Area car owners spill, dump or leak three million gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay each year.

But vehicles contribute to Bay pollution in other ways. Friction from moving parts, like engines and brake pads, creates dusts of harmful metal particles including lead, zinc, and copper, that land on roadways, sidewalks and other surfaces. When it rains, or when residents wash their cars in the street or a driveway, these toxins are washed into storm drains, where they flow without treatment to creeks and the Bay. Additionally, grease and soap – which also degrade water quality – flow into our storm drains and creeks when people wash their cars on impervious surfaces.

The Clean Water Act requires cities to create enforceable regulations to prevent pollutants from flowing into storm drains and eventually polluting creeks and oceans. Charity and mobile car washes, in addition to personal car washing, contribute to this so-called non-point source water pollution, which includes soap, oil and grease. Cities can help to prevent their waterways from appearing on the 303(d) list – the list of waterways in violation of Clean Water Act standards – by reducing sources of stormwater pollution, including as runoff from cars.

As a city, you can actively educate residents about the dangers of this runoff pollution, discourage residents from washing cars in the street or in their driveways, and offer incentives for residents to use licensed car wash facilities. Use your newsletter, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other media to urge your constituents to:

• Wash cars at a car wash instead of at home. Professional car washes treat the toxic soup that car washing generates to keep pollutants out of the Bay.

• When holding charity car washes outside of a professional facility, use car wash kits to prevent the polluted wash water from flowing into the storm drains.

• Keep vehicles tuned-up and fix leaks so oil and other fluids do not flow from roadways and other surfaces into the Bay.

• Drive less – walk, bike, or use public transportation. • Never dump used motor oil into storm drains. Instead, take oil in sturdy, sealed

containers to a used oil collection center. Locate a center in your area by visiting:

http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/UsedOil/Reports/CenterSearch/Default.aspx?lang=en-US.

• Designate a city-sponsored site specifically for car washes, where all discharged water is captured and treated before entering our waterways.

Many cities have taken steps to protect water quality and aquatic life from non-point source pollution, with specific attention to mobile car washing operations and charity car wash events. In the Bay Area, the City of Cupertino purchased a car wash kit that can be borrowed by non-profit and school groups. The Contra Costa Clean Water Program provides the same free service and created a brochure explaining how pollutants from car washing impact water quality. The two cities featured below have implemented ordinances that prohibit mobile car washers and fundraising operations from releasing their wash water into storm drains. Mobile/Charity Car Wash Ordinance - Case Studies 1. City of Calabasas, CA Citing the need to comply with Clean Water Act regulations and a request from the Regional Water Quality Control Board to address pollution from car wash water, the City of Calabasas passed their ordinance in September 2008. Calabasas was the first California city to regulate mobile commercial car wash operations. Contact: Daniel Pankau, Environmental Services – (818) 224-1682, dpankau@cityofcalabasas.com What it does: The Calabasas ordinance requires mobile car wash businesses to obtain permits from the City and prevent pollutants from entering the storm drain system (per requirements in the city’s municipal code prohibiting vehicles from discharging pollutants onto surfaces that may convey these pollutants into the storm drain system). The ordinance defines “mobile commercial washing” as any activity conducted for compensation that involves the washing of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, or any other vehicle, and which is moved from one location to another, such as to serve customers at their residences or places of work and includes any temporary car wash event conducted by any person for the purpose of fund raising. Mobile car wash businesses are required to pay a $120 fee and to put on a car wash demonstration at City Hall to prove they will release zero discharge when washing cars. Upon doing so, they are issued a permit. Business owners are required to purchase their own storm drain kits and mats. Built into the permit is a performance bond set at $10,000 to ensure that car washers comply with the regulations of the permit. If car washers are found to be non-compliant, the city can collect on the bond. Code enforcement is performed by the city primarily on a complaint-driven basis. If a car washer is found in violation of the permit, both the car wash business and the person employing the business can be fined.

2. City of Oxnard, CA The City passed their ordinance in March 2009 and began enforcing it in July 2009. The driving force for this ordinance was the new NPDES permit, which the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board was scheduled to adopt at the time the ordinance was being considered. Contact: Nora Reyes, Senior Stormwater Environmental Specialist – (805) 385-3963, nora.reyes@ci.oxnard.ca.us What it does: The Oxnard ordinance requires any mobile car wash/detail owner and/or employee engaging in mobile car washing or detailing activities that will or may result in pollutants entering the water bodies to implement the following minimum requirements:

• Implement full containment under and around the vehicle being washed or detailed • Capture all water used in the washing or detailing operation • Haul all captured wash water to a legal point of disposal

If the business owner is found to be in violation of the ordinance, he or she will be notified they have violated the provisions of the permit and that non-compliance may result in civil, criminal or administrative enforcement actions. A compliance date that must be met by the business owner will be set, as will the manner of abatement and remediation required.

Should the business owner remain non-compliant, he or she will be issued a cease and desist order, in addition to an invoice for costs, which will be immediately due and payable to the city. Failure to comply with the order will result in an administrative fine ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per day depending on the violation. Ordinance enforcement is carried out by the city's code compliance department, on both a complaint-driven basis and by actively patrolling the city.

Car wash kits Both Calabasas and Oxnard require car washers to purchase a car wash kit to ensure that all discharge will be captured and properly treated. A wide variety of car wash kits can be purchased on the Internet, and typically include small submersible pumps, rubber mats, storm drain insert tubs, hoses, spray nozzles, road cones, and appropriate electrical adapters and extension cords. Kit prices vary depending on the size of the mat, whether it uses foam or bracket berms, other equipment included, etc. Our research resulted in prices ranging from $400 to $1,300. Car wash kits work by redirecting dirty water -- polluted with soap, oil and automotive fluids -- away from the storm drain. The kit uses a hose to connect to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the water to a water treatment plant. Without a car wash kit, the water runs off the driveway, parking lot or street into a storm drain and directly in to our streams, lakes and rivers. Those pollutants damage water quality and poison fish and other animals. The following includes a list of who should use a kit and when:

• Organizations such as schools, clubs, churches and other non-profit organizations that hold community or charity car wash fundraising events.

• Residential groups such as townhome complexes, condominiums, homeowners associations or others who may have a high volume of car washing in their community.

• Residents should use a car wash kit as an alternative if a professional service is not available.

Suggestions for reducing residential, in-street car wash runoff Neither Calabasas nor Oxnard included provisions for the regulation of residential car-washing in their ordinances, and a quick poll of Bay Area cities yields similar information. However, several cities have launched education campaigns aimed at reducing car wash runoff.

For instance, while Marin County's stormwater ordinances do not prohibit car washing by the general public, they do educate residents on environmentally safe car washing, "Fish Friendly Car Washing," with information on assembling Fish Friendly car wash kits. The kits are loaned to groups wanting to conduct charity car wash fundraisers. Marin County also has educational materials, given to people as they leave a car wash fundraiser, to educate them about "fish friendly car washing" when a charity or professional carwash is not available. Save The Bay suggests including provisions for reducing residential car wash runoff in your ordinance. These should include clear and critical guidelines for residents via a public education campaign. Possible options to reduce impacts from residential in-street car washing could include:

• Outfitting residents with storm drain kits to block discharge from entering the storm drain system

• Distributing car wash coupons for professional car wash facilities that treat discharge • Requiring charity and professional car washes to hand out materials about Bay-friendly

car washing • Inserting educational brochures in utility bills and/or city-wide mailers • Posting informational fliers at stores, gas stations and other public retailers • Advertising in phone books and newspapers • Broadcasting radio public service announcements

How the ordinances were implemented In each city, staff conducted roughly 40 hours worth of research-- time this case study is intended to save. Staff drafted an ordinance for approval by the City Council. They created promotional materials (signage and educational brochures) and conducted education campaigns to residents and businesses. Oxnard also translated materials into Spanish and promoted the ordinance on the city's website. Calabasas reports that their implementation process took between six to eight months, start to finish. Costs: Calabasas Estimated figures, for similar program in a city of approx. 30,000:

Staff Time Based on Estimated cost

Staff time for ordinance, outreach and print materials

6-8 months of partial time for 1 staff and 1 intern at $30K annual salary

and $10K annual salary, respectively

$6,400

Translation of outreach materials N/A N/A

Web staff time Done in-house; included in staff time estimates above N/A

Yearly staff time for complaint-driven enforcement

Conducted by City's code-enforcement department Varies

Expenses Based on Estimated cost

Printing & postage costs for initial outreach $100/per sign x 10 signs $1000

Brochures and other promotional materials Done in-house Included above

Estimated Total $7,500 - $8,000 Costs: Oxnard Estimated figures, for similar program in a city of approx. 200,000:

Staff Time Based on Estimated cost

Staff time for ordinance, outreach and print materials

40 hours of staff time for three staff at $30/hr, $35/hr and $40/hr $4,200

Translation of outreach materials 10 hours staff time at $30/hr $300

Training/Education 5 hours staff time at $30/hr $150

Web staff time Done in-house; included in staff time estimates above N/A

Yearly staff time for complaint-driven enforcement

Conducted by City's code-enforcement department Varies

Expenses Based on Estimated cost

Printing & postage costs for initial outreach

Mailer to 300 businesses, license sticker, educational handouts $500

Brochures and other promotional materials Done in-house Included above

Estimated Total $5,200 - $6,000 Items to Consider Performance bond The city of Calabasas built a $10,000 performance bond into the permit to ensure that car washers comply with the regulations of the permit. If car washers are found to be non-compliant, the city can collect on the bond. For the bond to work properly, it is best if the bond language is explicit at the outset, so if non-compliance is found, there are no obstacles to collecting on the bond.

Stakeholder Outreach Contacting stakeholders prior to drafting the ordinance may be useful to secure their cooperation and to incorporate their feedback. Reaching out to vendors and treatment facilities facilitates implementation. Educating car wash businesses about the program can help secure an important ally. The City also set up a hotline, managed by the general city call center, with a script and basic FAQs to help attend to business owners' needs while minimizing city staff time. Following the implementation of the ordinance, the city of Oxnard conducted a five-hour training for permittees, which outlined the provisions of the ordinance and licensing protocol and included a question and answer period. The training covered:

• Licensing process and protocol • Provisions of the permit • Code enforcement and compliance • Instructions for purchasing full capturing devices and kits via the Internet

Translation of materials Wherever possible, it is always a good idea to translate promotional and educational materials into a language (or languages) other than English, as appropriate for city residents. Grace period The city of Oxnard instituted a three-month grace period for compliance after passing the ordinance. During that grace period, business owners found to be non-compliant were notified and assisted in abatement and remediation. Clean Bay Project Contact: Allison Chan 510-452-9261 ext 118 allison@savesfbay.org Attached: Contra Costa Clean Water Program brochure on fundraiser car washes and Calabasas program brochure. Please contact the Clean Bay Project for more information and materials from other California and Bay Area cities.

Revised 2-1-11 Partial funding for this project comes from the USEPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (2009) in collaboration with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and ABAG.

cccleanwater.org

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Only Rain Down the Drain.

PROPER CAR WASH FUNDRAISING IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Call the

CONTRA COSTA CLEAN

WATER PROGRAM

at 925-313-2360

to reserve a

car washing kit.

It is illegal to allow anything other than rain water to be

discharged to a storm drain.Wash water from cleaning cars should never be

discharged to a street, gutter, parking lot, or storm drain.

Wash water from cleaning cars contains materials such

as solvents, heavy metals, dirt, and soapy water which

can degrade water quality and creek habitats. Individuals

who improperly handle and dispose of non-stormwater

materials down the storm drain are subject to civil and

criminal prosecution.

How are the Storm Drain and Sanitary Sewer Systems Different?Throughout urban communities, the storm drain system

transports rainwater to local creeks, the bay, the delta,

and to the ocean. This system was created to prevent

flooding within communities and homes. All water and

materials that enter the storm drain system is untreated.

The sanitary sewer is a plumbed system that transports

sewer water from buildings to a wastewater collection and

treatment facility, where the water and sewage is treated

before being released back into the environment.

If you see an outdoor drain and are unsure of its use,

assume it is a storm drain and do not discharge wash

water to it.

Planning a Car Wash Fundraiser?Charity car wash events need to include protection of the

storm drain system to prevent pollution from entering

creeks and other waterways. To stop pollution from

entering our storm drains, best management practices,

that are included in this brochure, are required to

ensure that your car washing event does not pollute the

environment. Please follow these steps before conducting

your car washing event:

Step 1: Contact your local municipality to ensure that

charity car washing events are legal within your

community.

Step 2: If charity car washes are legal at the location of

your event, contact the Contra Costa Clean Water Program

to reserve a car washing kit free of charge to discharge

your wash water to the appropriate sanitary drain or

vegetated area. Fill out all liability release forms (found

on the Contra Costa Clean Water Program’s website at

cccleanwater.org) required to borrow the car washing kit.

Step 3: Obtain permission from the owner of the event

location to conduct a car washing event and locate an

approved sanitary drain or vegetated area to discharge

your wash water.

Step 4: Read the enclosed directions of how to use the

car washing kit appropriately.

Step 5: At the end of your event, return the car washing

kit to the local municipality.

How to Get a KitKits are available on a first come first served basis and reservations can be made up to a month in advance. Each city that provides a car washing kit in Contra Costa County has its own location for pickup. Call the Contra Costa Clean Water Program at 925-313-2360 to make a reservation and obtain location information to borrow a kit. All kit parts will be confirmed to be in working condition before pickup. All parts must be returned in working condition or replaced if broken. Be sure to return your kit on the agreed date and time. Late drop off will compromise kit availability for your own organization in the future.

WHAT’S IN THE KIT?

> Instructions> Submersible Pump> Two 50-Foot Extension Cords ( G R O u n D E D )

> Roll Duct Tape> 3’x 4’ Heavy Duty Rubber Mat> 50’ or Longer Garden Hose> Two Spray nozzles ( H a R D P L a S T I C )

> Three Safety Cones ( L a R G E )

Any organization borrowing the kit will need to provide

its own washing materials (soap, sponges, towels) and

find its own location that includes a water source, an

electrical outlet, and an appropriate discharge location

for the wash water—either a sanitary hookup or a

vegetated area.

Good luck on your car wash fundraiser—and thanks for helping to keep our environment clean and safe.

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common point, such as a nearby creek, stream, river or lake. Every small watershed drains to a larger watershed that eventually flows to the ocean.Watersheds support a wide variety of plants and wildlife and provide many outdoor recre-ation opportunities. By protecting the health of our watersheds we can preserve and enhance the quality of life for Calabasas residents.Stormwater flows from rooftops, over paved streets, sidewalks and parking lots, across bare soil, and through lawns and storm drains. As it flows, runoff collects and transports soil, pet waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizer, oil, grease, litter and other pollutants. This water drains directly into nearby creeks, streams and oceans, without receiving treatment at sewage plants.

Polluted stormwater contaminate streams creeks and eventually the pacific ocean. It can kill or damage plants, fish and wildlife, while degrading the quality of our water.

COMMERCIAL CAR WASHES IN CALABASAS

Mobile Gas Station/Car Wash4830 Las Virgenes Road

Chevron Gas Station/Car Wash4831 Las Virgenes Road

76 Gas Station/Car Wash24115 Calabasas Road

PERMITTED MOBILE CAR WASHINGCOMPANIES:

Dr. Detail(805) 526-6525

Exotic Shine Auto Detailing(818) 571-7583

Garcia Auto Detail(818) 317-9370

Mobile One Enterprises(626) 536-2550

City of CalabasasEnvironmental Services100 Civic Center WayCalabasas, CA 91302

Phone: (818)224-1600www.cityofcalabasas.com

WASHYOURCARTHE RIGHT WAY

The car is clean but what about

the water?

CALBSAS

The Calabasas City Council has adopted an ordinance regulating mobile car wash opera-tions within the City of Calabasas. The ordi-nance requires mobile car wash businesses to obtain permits from the City and follow certain regulations to prevent pollutants from enter-ing the storm drain system. Calabasas is the first California city regulating mobile commer-cial car wash operations.The Clean Water Act requires cities to create enforceable regulations to prevent pollutants from discharging into storm drains and even-tually polluting creeks and oceans. The opera-tion of mobile car washes on various residen-tial and commercial office driveways and park-ing lots typically violate the Clean Water Act. Such violations could subject the City to fines and notices of violations by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The Board is requesting that local governments increase their efforts to prevent wastewater generated from mobile washers to enter the storm drain systems and make sure the waste water is properly discharged to the sewer system or to a waste water recycling facility.The new ordinance defines "Mobile commer-cial washing" as any activity conducted for compensation that involves the washing of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, or any other vehicle, and which is moved from one location to another, such as to serve customers at their residences or places of work and includes any temporary car wash event conducted by any person for the purpose of fund raising.The new permit system requires each mobile car wash operator to apply and receive a permit from the City's Public Works Depart-ment. The permit is valid for one year and is not transferable. Each permit holder must ensure that all car wash employees are knowledgeable of the discharge limitations listed in the City's ordinance and that they use appropriate preventive measures whenever they are engaged in car washing activities.

The phosphates from soap can cause excess algae to grow. Excessive algae smell bad, look bad, and harm water quality. As algae decay, the process uses up oxygen in the water that fish need to breath.Car wash fundraisers can be a significant source of this kind of pollution. These events are usually held in heavily paved areas where the is little runoff control or grass to filter out harmful substances before they reach our waterways

WHAT CAN YOU DO?The best way to minimize the effect washing your car has on the environment is to use a commercial car wash. Most locations reuse wash water several times before sending it to a treatment plant. However, if you choose to wash your car at home or on the street, these are some things that you can do to minimize negative water quality impact.

Wash on a area that absorbs water such as gravel or grass. This can filter water before it enters groundwater, storm drains, or creeks. Avoid washing cars on concrete or asphalt pavement unless it drains into a vegetated area.Minimize water usage. Use a spray gun with flow restriction to minimize water volume and runoff.Always empty wash buckets into sinks or toilets.When planning a car wash fundraiser, try to develop a partnership with a commer-cial car wash facility, or use a safe location.

THE FACTS ABOUT CAR WASHINGFor many, car washing is a springtime ritual. Often, citizens don't know that by washing all that winter grime off their vehicles they might actually be causing harm to our local water-shed. Water entering storm drains, unlike water that enters sanitary sewers, does not undergo treatment before it is discharged into our waterways. When cars are washed on streets and driveways, that dirty water eventu-ally winds up in our creeks and eventually the ocean.

Washing one car may not seem to be a problem, but collectively car washing activity adds up to big prob-lems for our local creeks and streams. Pollution asso-ciated with car washing degrades water quality while also finding its way into sediments, negatively impacting aquatic habitats.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it takes 25 gallons of water for a 5-minute shower and 35 gallons to fill a normal bathtub. In comparison, the average person washing a car uses more than 500 gallons of water! All that water and the suds from the soap wash down our streets into local waterways.Among the many impacts of motor vehicles on our environment, car washing has been noted by water quality experts as a serious contribu-tor to water pollution.Water that runs off a car when it is washed in a driveway, street, or parking lot can contain substances that pollute the environment. Dirty water containing soap, detergents, residue from exhaust fumes, gasoline, heavy metals from rust, and motor oils can wash off cars and flow directly to storm drains and into the near-est creek or stream where it can harm water quality and wildlife.