Lexington consortium: Car wash fundraisers can hurt waterways

Published: November 9, 2010

Carolina Clear image by: Carolina Clear

LEXINGTON — Car wash fundraisers can help organizations raise money, but if water from the car wash isn’t handled properly it can be harmful to the state's waterways.

The Lexington Countywide Stormwater Consortium, a regional partner of Clemson University’s Carolina Clear stormwater education and awareness initiative, has launched a pollution awareness program on the importance of safe wash-water disposal.

Car-wash fundraisers usually are held in parking lots of local businesses where water from the car wash enters storm drains. The water that enters a storm drain doesn’t go to a wastewater treatment facility to be cleaned.

Rather, the water empties directly into local creeks, rivers and streams. All of the pollutants in the wash water, such as soaps, oils and metals, enter the storm drainage system and are deposited in local waterways.

“Stormwater is not treated,” said Bill Blackston, coordinator of the Lexington consortium. “In other words, what goes down storm drains ends up in our waterways and affects everyone’s quality of life."

The Lexington consortium has partnered with local commercial car wash operators to assist groups continue to meet their fundraising goals in a more environmentally friendly way. These commercial car-washing facilities direct their wash water to sanitary sewer lines, where the water is treated.

“Most commercial car wash facilities use special equipment to conserve and recycle the wash water at their facility,” Blackston said. “From an environmental standpoint, using a commercial facility is the best choice when washing a car.”

For a list of participating car-wash facilities, click here. 

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Carolina Clear
Carolina Clear is a stormwater education and awareness program of the Clemson University Restoration Institute and the Center for Watershed Excellence. The program’s goal is to minimize polluted stormwater runoff by educating the general public, youth, builders, developers, homeowners and government officials about how they can keep water in the state’s streams, rivers and basins as clean as possible.

Lexington Countywide Stormwater Consortium
The consortium strives to enhance water quality throughout the area through education, involvement and outreach, and by fostering partnerships with local governments, citizens, businesses and organizations to support healthy, fishable and swimmable waterways. Communities involved in the Consortium are Lexington County, Cayce, Irmo, Pine Ridge, South Congaree, Springdale, Lexington and West Columbia.