The challenge
with outdoor washing
“Hard” surfaces are the hang up
When you wash dirty items outdoors and on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt – whether it’s cleaning home gutters, vehicles, patios, or equipment – the water can’t soak into the ground and has nowhere to go but the street.
Stormwater systems are mainly designed to prevent flooding, not to clean water. Water entering a storm drain does not go to a treatment plant. Instead, it flows to neighborhood waterways and eventually to the Willamette or McKenzie River.
River water quality is protected locally and nationally by the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972. It’s enforced by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Springfield city code which is adopted by Springfield City Council. Springfield’s Stormwater Team manages river pollution prevention, providing education, technical assistance, and practical solutions to help community members protect water quality.
Outdoor Washing Tips
Protect the Willamette, the McKenzie, and all the neighborhood waterways that flow to them.
Use cold water
- Use cold water for outdoor washing.
- If warm water is needed, wash indoors over a drain connected to the wastewater system.
- Improve shade. Trees and landscaping help cool pavement and lower water temperatures.
Heat is an invisible pollutant that impacts Springfield’s waterways and the entire river system, including the McKenzie and Willamette rivers.
Avoid soaps and detergents
- Do not use soap when washing on pavement.
- If soap is needed, wash indoors or on a porous surface.
- Keep soapy water out of storm drains and open channels.
There is no soap that is safe for rivers, including biodegradable soaps. Soaps change water chemistry and reduce oxygen levels for fish.
Manage sediment, don't wash it away
- Wash on lawn, gravel, or other porous surface.
- Divert runoff to landscaping when possible.
- Block runoff with rolled towels (or booms), clean up any trapped debris, and throw it out.
Dirt, leaves, moss, grease, and debris clog pipes and smother aquatic life downstream.
Stop chemical runoff
- Store chemicals indoors, or under cover, in sealed containers that are free of holes.
- Clean up all spills right away. Absorb spills, don’t hose them down. Use kitty litter, disposable rags, or other absorbent material, and throw in the trash.
- Keep chemicals off hard surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and roadways.
When it rains chemicals on pavement like oil, fertilizers, pesticides, and vehicle fluids can wash into storm drains.
Not allowed
City code does not allow dumping or releasing anything into the stormwater system except rainwater.
Heated water or steam, pressure washing water with chemicals or detergents, and dirty water from the hosing or cleaning of automotive service facilities are examples of “illicit discharges” which are NOT allowed to enter storm drains, ditches, pipes, or waterways. Illicit discharges harm water quality, human health, and the environment.
For details, see Springfield’s Municipal Code Section 4.370 on Illicit Discharge. Or email your questions to the Stormwater Team.
Click to view the PDF.
More information:
Click to view the PDF:
Vehicle Washing | Lavado de Vehículos
Click to view the PDF:
Pressure Washing | Lavado a Presión
Click to view the PDF:
Vehicle Leaks | Derrames de Vehículos
Click to view the PDF:
Moss | Musgo
Businesses outdoor washing
Wash Water Permits
If your business regularly washes outdoors, you may need a Wash Water Permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Not sure if your setup qualifies? Contact the DEQ or the nearest DEQ office, located in Eugene.
Lane County’s Stormdrain Cleaning Assistance Program (SCAP)
Lane County offers a voluntary Storm Drain Cleaning Assistance Program (SCAP) for businesses located in Springfield and throughout the county.
The program provides cleaning of parking lot single chamber catch basins for a flat fee. This is good housekeeping for businesses and reduces pollutants in stormwater.
Get details from Lane County’s Stormwater Management program.
Fundraiser Car Washing
Contact the Stormwater Team to borrow a Car Wash Kit for free!
The City’s Stormwater Team has four Car Wash Kits and loans them out for free to individuals and non-profit groups planning to host car-wash fundraisers and other outdoor activities that create runoff.
A Car Wash Kit includes a rubber mat, pump, and hose. The mat covers a storm drain to block dirty wash water from entering, and the pump and hose move trapped water from the drain to the safe location of your choice.
Download a printable flyer (Spanish language flyer) or watch this video.
Need Instructions? These instructional videos make protecting water easy:
You can also download Car Wash Kit Instructions or give our PSA a listen to learn more!
To reserve a Car Wash Kit, scroll down for how to contact the Stormwater Team.
Contact Us
Stormwater Team, Environmental Services Division, Development & Public Works Dept., City of Springfield, Oregon. WaterResources@springfield-or.gov, 541-726-3694, SpringfieldStreams.org.
