Clark County considers banning car washes in driveways

kgw.com Staff ^ | September 18, 2008 | kgw.com Staff

[hiho hiho]

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- It may soon be illegal for Vancouver residents to wash their cars in the driveway, according to a local newspaper report.

The Oregonian article reports that the state of Washington wants Clark County to come up with laws that control what water goes into storm drains, including banning the soapy water from car washes at private homes.

“Well it seems kind of strange forcing people to go through a car wash… Some people can’t afford to do that and would prefer to wash at home,” a woman told KGW as she waited in line for a professional car wash.

Vancouver and nearly three dozen other Washington cities have challenged the state order, according to the Oregonian report.

Clark County commissioners could choose to adopt a new storm water ordinance by the end of the year after listening to testimony in public hearings that may start as soon as next month.

[Joe 6-pack]

This problem will go away when public transportation becomes compulsory.

[FlingWingFlyer]

And I thought President Bush was the one who was trying to take away our rights, freedoms and liberties.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I haven’t been allowed to wash my car in my driveway for almost a year now. Drought restrictions on water use.

[Keith Brown]

That is a hoot considering what a toilet parts of Vancouver are....

[Cobra64]

I haven’t been allowed to wash my car in my driveway for almost a year now. Drought restrictions on water use.

Is there a relationship between a drought, and soapy water in storm drains?

[LibFreeOrDie]

Next: mandatory communal toilets and showers...

[GOP_Raider]

Germany, 1938: "Well it seems kind of strange forcing people into train cars to work in concentration camps."

Vancouver, Washington, 2008: "Well it seems kind of strange forcing people to go through a car wash..."

[familyop]

Oh, so there’s a business for junior after all: commercial car washes. Send the usual false environmentalist front women to keep everyone else from doing it first.

[Cobra64]

I'm surprised cherry pies haven't been outlawed because someone choked on a cherry pit.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

“Well it seems kind of strange forcing people...”

Wake up, honey. That’s what totalitarianism is all about. That’s what we’ve been fighting since the American Revolution.

[Tainan]

Use Simple Green to was your car. Its bio-friendly and it works.

[SatinDoll]

Geez, give the city of Vancouver a break!

Water quality is important in this region as salmon fish are a major industry. Storm water runoff is not sent to water treatment facilities, but straight through to fish bearing streams and rivers. If you want to wash your car in Washington and Oregon states, do it on the lawn, not in the driveway.

[Harry Wurzbach]

Incremental friendly fascism for the masses, predicated on an upper middle class lifestyle.

[Danae]

PNW is crazy I am telling ya.

[keithtoo]

I’ll bet if Gays were having bath parties in their driveways, that would not only be allowed, it would be ‘celebrated’.

[weegee]

I wonder if any of the people on city council own any car washes.

[weegee]

You can have a Crisco party in the driveway. And Miller Beer will pay for the antiChristian posters.

[CaspersGh0sts]

Water quality is important in this region as salmon fish are a major industry. Storm water runoff is not sent to water treatment facilities, but straight through to fish bearing streams and rivers.

I wasn't exactly expecting sanity on this thread. Well said. There was a complete and total collapse of the salmon industry. Just yesterday President Bush sent a pretty massive load of money to help the industries in Washington, Oregon, and California.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008186922_websalmon17.html?syndication=rss

[weegee]

Storm water runoff is not sent to water treatment facilities, but straight through to fish bearing streams and rivers. If you want to wash your car in Washington and Oregon states, do it on the lawn, not in the driveway.

Washing it on your lawn will send the runoff straight DOWN to the water table. Or into the gutter when it rains.