Water containment crack down

I

imported_WCD

New member
I sold my Vacuboom this evening to a local mobile detailer- best brochure I've ever seen and the set-up is 100% quality.



Anyway, he told me that the city is going to begin enforcing the EPA guidelines and a misdemeanor will be issued for offenders. As of now he is the only one able to contain water in our town. I hope he reaps the benefits of his professional attitude.



Andrew- I referred you to that client and she is going to call.



Rob
 
WCD said:
I sold my Vacuboom this evening to a local mobile detailer- best brochure I've ever seen and the set-up is 100% quality.
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Thank you and thank you.



WCD said:
... the city is going to begin enforcing the EPA guidelines and a misdemeanor will be issued for offenders.
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During a thirty minute conversation with the county water district I was made aware that we will have Police Department enforced water containment!! Sounds kinda harsh but :nixweiss :) They told me it won't be for a few months but nonetheless. I am just going to keep doing my thing; no more worries. Now I just need to fab a few more bungee cords in the rear of my van so things stay put.



Pleasure doing biz with your Rob.
 
pssstue said:
Thank you and thank you.







During a thirty minute conversation with the county water district I was made aware that we will have Police Department enforced water containment!! Sounds kinda harsh but :nixweiss :) They told me it won't be for a few months but nonetheless. I am just going to keep doing my thing; no more worries. Now I just need to fab a few more bungee cords in the rear of my van so things stay put.



Pleasure doing biz with your Rob.
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Does it effect Orange County area?



Which model did you get? the 20ft or 40ft
 
It is the 20 foot unit. I tested it out today and alls good. There seems to be a downhill (towards the ocean :cool: ) everywhere in Santa Barbara so I think I can probably position the unit with just one five foot segment attached to the Vac and be fine. Its quieter than my shop-vac too.



The regulations in OC have been in place for quite some time AFAIK. My parents live in Mission Viejo and cannot wash their vehicles in the driveway without the homeowners association rollin' on 'em. My sisters condo complex in Lake Forrest has the same ordinances.



SB County WD told me that "Phase One" enforcement has been in place since the EPA passed the present reclamation requirements effective 1/05. They were however relying on neighborly phone calls because they were "spread too thin" to enforce the regs. Sometime in the next two to four months "Phase Two" goes into effect. They will be working with local police departments to issue the citations.



Hopefully there is no Phase Three. :think:
 
pssstue said:
It is the 20 foot unit. I tested it out today and alls good. There seems to be a downhill (towards the ocean :cool: ) everywhere in Santa Barbara so I think I can probably position the unit with just one five foot segment attached to the Vac and be fine. Its quieter than my shop-vac too.



The regulations in OC have been in place for quite some time AFAIK. My parents live in Mission Viejo and cannot wash their vehicles in the driveway without the homeowners association rollin' on 'em. My sisters condo complex in Lake Forrest has the same ordinances.



SB County WD told me that "Phase One" enforcement has been in place since the EPA passed the present reclamation requirements effective 1/05. They were however relying on neighborly phone calls because they were "spread too thin" to enforce the regs. Sometime in the next two to four months "Phase Two" goes into effect. They will be working with local police departments to issue the citations.



Hopefully there is no Phase Three. :think:
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Have your try QEW? My runoff really not enough to reach the sewer channel and wondering should I buy the system like yours????
 
QEW or No Rinse would save you the hassle of setting up and tearing down if the cars aren't too dirty. If you have one that is really dirty though, the Vacuboom will probably save you from getting citations.
 
Scottwax said:
QEW or No Rinse would save you the hassle of setting up and tearing down if the cars aren't too dirty. If you have one that is really dirty though, the Vacuboom will probably save you from getting citations.
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Agree. I really don't want to set up the Vacuboom for cars.



Anyone know how much is the citation?
 
One good thing is that the vacuum can be used as an extracter...and man does that thing suck - literally :)
 
I detail in Orange County, and I didn't know it was this serious. Usually I'll do a waterless wash, but occasionally, I'll use the hose and let it drain down the storm drain. Thanks for the heads up, I'll just do the waterless stuff until I'm able to afford a containment system.
 
Wow, it is amazing how different things are from state to state. Here in Virginia, I can not find much information on this issue at the state or county level. Virginia actually grants permits for industrial discharge into protected waters ways and storm drains. The closest I can find is for a fixed location carwash. It states that the permit does not apply for mobile car washes. Funny, how big corporations polluted the earth for years and years, and know they want to crack the heads of detailers who discharge minimal amounts of chemical contaminants into the environment.
 
brwill2005 said:
Funny, how big corporations polluted the earth for years and years, and now they want to crack the heads of detailers who discharge minimal amounts of chemical contaminants into the environment.
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I'll let my years of political science classes come into play on this one :chuckle:

Who would have more influence on the politicians? The little guys, or the big corporations who donate millions of dollars to PACs and parties?
 
Yeah, and the big coal-fired power plants can belch out enough sulfur to cover my car with acid rain, but I can't buy a can of #16 to protect my car because I'll be polluting the air by opening it for 15 minutes every 2 months...
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Yeah, and the big coal-fired power plants can belch out enough sulfur to cover my car with acid rain, but I can't buy a can of #16 to protect my car because I'll be polluting the air by opening it for 15 minutes every 2 months...
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I know that seems nuts huh? It has to start somewhere though and I am resigned to the fact that it's here to stay. I don't think we have the crazy VOC laws yet up here in the Great White North with respect to all the chemical suppliers having to change their formulas but it can't be far off if they are doing it down south.
 
ShineShop said:
I know that seems nuts huh? It has to start somewhere though and I am resigned to the fact that it's here to stay.
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As a professional, we must secede to the rules. . . we get no choice in the matter. To be abiding by the law reduces anxiety; to be reclaiming your wash-water does make an impact on local water quality; being one of the first to do so in your area promotes similar businesses to do the same and those not serious about the trade be forced out.



Wish I had more time to discuss some of the logistics of using the equip over the last week or so. . . gotta go to work! Get back to you all soon.
 
pssstue said:
As a professional, we must secede to the rules. . . we get no choice in the matter. To be abiding by the law reduces anxiety; to be reclaiming your wash-water does make an impact on local water quality; being one of the first to do so in your area promotes similar businesses to do the same and those not serious about the trade be forced out.



Wish I had more time to discuss some of the logistics of using the equip over the last week or so. . . gotta go to work! Get back to you all soon.
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You don't have to convince me my man. We have been compliant all along regardless and I have been slammed on several occasions here for promoting following the rules. :2thumbs:
 
ShineShop said:
You don't have to convince me my man. We have been compliant all along regardless and I have been slammed on several occasions here for promoting following the rules. :2thumbs:
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Actually, I think it is more slamming the actual rules more than anything. I honestly find it very hard to believe that washing a car does more damage to the enviroment than when it rains and washes all that oil, antifreeze, rubber, ect off the roads and down into the sewer system. It bothers me that the government attacks a very small percentage of the problem first instead of the real problem. They go after whoever has the least amount of money to fight back first.



Of course you need to be in compliance to legally run your business but you don't particularly have to like it. ;)
 
Scottwax said:
Actually, I think it is more slamming the actual rules more than anything. I honestly find it very hard to believe that washing a car does more damage to the enviroment than when it rains and washes all that oil, antifreeze, rubber, ect off the roads and down into the sewer system. It bothers me that the government attacks a very small percentage of the problem first instead of the real problem. They go after whoever has the least amount of money to fight back first.



Of course you need to be in compliance to legally run your business but you don't particularly have to like it. ;)
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:werd: And don't forget the brake dust!
 
opass said:
Anyone know how much is the citation?
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The citation is a misdemeanor in addition to possible fines from the (my) county.



brwill2005 said:
Virginia actually grants permits for industrial discharge into protected waters ways and storm drains. . . It states that the permit does not apply for mobile car washes. Funny, how big corporations polluted the earth for years and years. . .
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This permit is called a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (NPDES) and does not allow anyone to just dump their discharge wherever they want. Every player, especially the larger corporate types, are REQUIRED to treat their discharge before it can enter a waterway, i.e. streams, ocean, etc. What they are required to do is create an entire, onsite containment and/or treatment system to take care of their own pollution before they can tap into the sewer system or discharge into stormdrains. Almost the very same thing us detailers (:wavey) are required to do.



ScottWax said:
I honestly find it very hard to believe that washing a car does more damage to the enviroment than when it rains and washes all that oil, antifreeze, rubber, ect off the roads and down into the sewer system. It bothers me that the government attacks a very small percentage of the problem first instead of the real problem.
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Basically, anyone who does business (especially in CA!) has a responsibility to take their waste with them, not letting it directly enter storm drains. The oil, etc. being washed off the roads and into the storm drains (not sewer system, if it was into a sewer system it'd eventually be treated and not a problem) are, IMO, a big deal. We can't fix the system (roads, etc.) but we can change the practices within our trade to avoid adding to the problem.
 
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