water recovery - Power Wash Network "The Power Wash Contractors Forum"

firehouse · #1 (**permalink**) 12-17-06

now i know you are not allowed to let water run off in the storm drains if you are using chemicals, or if you are cleaning something with oil or gas stains which would cause the water to become contaminated but what if you are just washing off a sidewalk lets say infront of a stripmall where the only thing on the walk is just some dirt? there is nothing that would be in the water to contaminate it so it would be the same as a running a water hose with fresh water to rinse something off. my question is do you have to recover the water even if it is not contaminated? thanks for the help

Steven
Firehouse Pressure washing

Mark · #2 (**permalink**) 12-18-06

My understanding of the Clean Water Act:
Is NOTHING down the styorm drain except storm water!

firehouse · #3 (**permalink**) 12-18-06

that was what i thought, but how do the street washers allow all of the water that they use to flow down the strom drains and nothing is said to them.

CaroliProWash · #4 (**permalink**) 12-18-06

Ohhhhh......you can't go there (LOL but not really) Ever noticed that the fire department can flush hydrants all day and that's okay too? The Government allows what they want to....street cleaners are part of municipal government agencies therefore rules do not apply to them. Sucks.

Celeste

north coast · #5 (**permalink**) 12-18-06

I once watched a fire department wash down a parking lot at a gas station after a fuel spill with a fire hose. They first put down oil dry swept it up and then rinsed everything to a drain.

firehouse · #6 (**permalink**) 12-18-06

yea if you can all tell by the name I am a full time firefighter and we flush approx 1,500 hydrants twice a year. lots of water down the drains. I guess it is just like everything else in life rules only apply to certain people