County of Asotin
Regional Stormwater Program
Inform. Educate. Prevent.
Car Wash Kits
Attention Charity Car Washes!
When You're Washing A Car In A Parking Lot, REMEMBER You're Not Just Washing A Car In A Parking Lot
Keeping pollution out of our streams
Car wash kits keep soap and car fluids -- which are toxic to fish -- out of our waterways by rerouting water to a water treatment facility. So if you hold community or charity car washes , learn how you can get a reserve car wash kit! Don't let our water quality go down the drain!
Why Use A Car Wash Kit?
- When a car is washed on pavement such as a driveway or a parking lot, all the soap, detergents, oil, and road grime that washes off the car goes straight into a storm drain. All storm drains lead directly to our streams and rivers.
- That water runoff, containing soap -- even biodegradable soap -- and automotive fluids, is toxic to fish, can harm plant life and degrade our water quality.
A car wash kit redirects the dirty water away from the storm drain by connecting a hose to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the polluted water to a water treatment plant or to a grassy area that filters pollutants out of water.
How Does A Car Wash Kit Work?
With The Kit . . .
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 or to a grassy area that filters out pollutants.
Without The Kit . . .
When you don't use 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.
How To Use Your Car Wash Kit
- Locate the nearest storm drain, electrical plug in and sink and/or toilet. (The storm drain should be located where the water from the car wash will drain.)
- Set up your road cones in the street next to your storm drain.
- Pull up the storm drain grate using a metal hook. Caution: the grate will be very heavy. Avoid injury.
- Place the tub in the catch basin. (This is the opening after the grate is removed.) Make sure the safety road cones are around this opening to prevent someone from falling or driving into the drain.
- Attach the hose to the pump.
- Attach the electrical cord to the pump cord. Put it in the tub.
- The directions with the pump will tell you when to plug it in. You may need water in the tub before turning on the pump.
- Place the other end of the hose into the nearest toilet, sink or floor drain or into a grassy area adjacent to your car wash.
- Follow all safety instructions with any equipment or kits purchased.
Who Should Use A Car Wash Kit?
Organizations such as schools, clubs, churches and other non-profit organizations that hold community or charity car wash fundraising events.
Use a car wash kit if using a professional car wash for a fundraising event is not feasible.
Using a professional car wash service is the best thing you can do to keep our water clean and protect our flora and fauna. Use a car wash kit as an alternative if a professional service is not available to you.
Reserve A Kit!
Contact the Regional Stormwater Program office at 509-243-2074.
A $25 reservation fee is required. $20 will be refunded when the car wash kit is returned, if the kit is undamaged and all the parts are returned. The $5 non-refundable fee will be used to replace worn out parts.