A River-Friendly Fundraiser Carwash protects our creeks and rivers by not allowing wastewater to enter the storm drain system.
You can have a River-Friendly Fundraiser Carwash by:
- Working with a commercial carwash to host your fundraiser event at its facility. This option will ensure proper disposal of your wastewater to the sanitary sewer system with no effort on your part, conserves water, and may increase your potential profit.
- Collaborating with a park, school or school district that can accommodate River-Friendly Fundraiser Carwashes at their site
- Teaming with a business, park or other site that works with you to implement River-Friendly Fundraiser Carwash measures to properly manage and dispose of your wastewater.
- View the complete current list of River-Friendly Fundraiser Carwash Partners that you may choose to work with for your fundraiser event
Before the Carwash: Following these guidelines when partnering with a commercial carwash facility is not feasible for your group.
- Hold a meeting with all participants to explain proper procedures that must be followed during the carwash
- Choose a location where proper wastewater management can be feasibly practiced
- Consider how carwash wastewater will be managed during the fundraiser carwash event. There are two options:
- You may discharge the wastewater to landscaping, gravel or soil provided that there is enough surface area to completely absorb all the wastewater without creating runoff, it does not produce nuisance conditions (such as mosquito breeding grounds or excessive pooling), and you have the property owner’s permission.
- Contain, collect and properly dispose of all carwash wastewater. Refer to the “Guidelines for Manually Diverting Outdoor Wastewater to the Sanitary Sewer” booklet in our Publications section for detailed information on wastewater containment, collection and disposal options.
During the Carwash:- Use products labeled "non-toxic", "phosphate free", and "biodegradable". These products can be purchased at most large retail outlets. Please note, however, that even biodegradable and non-toxic soaps are harmful to aquatic life and water quality, and must be kept out of the storm drain system.
- Do not use acid-based wheel cleaners or engine degreasers
- Use a bucket of soapy water to re-soap rags or sponges throughout the carwash rather than adding more soap directly to rags or sponges
- Wring sponges and rags into buckets, not onto the ground
- Conserve water and minimize the amount of wastewater you must manage by using a spray nozzle with an automatic shut off
- Always empty buckets of wastewater into the sanitary sewer system via sinks, toilets, or sanitary sewer clean-out or onto landscaped areas where the wastewater can be absorbed
After the Carwash:
- Clean up the site, remove all trash and debris from the carwash area. Have a volunteer walk the perimeter of the site to pick up trash and dispose of it properly
Still have questions? Call (916) 808-4H20
