I have heard of no such law. If you are aware of it, can you point me at it?

yeah, we have a neighbor who does this also. I go to a commercial car wash myself.
I recall mailings from the regional water district or similar quasi-governmental entity that strongly request residents do not wash cars in their driveways since runoff "flows to the bay."

I think it is just not encouraged. Owning a commercial carwash might be a good investment!


In 2009, this utilities bill Web Link had this printed on the bottom:

"Take your car to a commercial carwash and keep our creeks and bay safe. Washing your car in the driveway or street carries oils, soap,chemicals to the nearby storm drain which flows to the bay harming water quality and wildlife. If you can't make it to a commercial carwash, wash your car on the dirt or lawn and empty the bucket of soapy water in sink or toilet."

Well, the trucks were being washed on the concrete driveway, and I cannpot imagine there was any effort to prevent runoff from entering the storm drains. I don't know what happened to the bucket, but I believe the fire trucks are washed this way quite frequently.

The nanny code, err, muni code makes several mentions of car washing...

Wash your car on the grass. Best grass I ever had grow was near a lawn drain for a clothes washing machine. Thick and green! Go go, biodegradable soap.

Web Link

12.32.010 Water use regulations.

No purchaser of water from the city of Palo Alto, nor any customers of the water utility of the city of Palo Alto, shall use water or allow any other person to use water under the control of such customer or purchaser in the following ways:

(a) Potable water shall not be allowed to flood or run off into gutters: driveways, sidewalks, streets or other unlandscaped areas.

(b) By means of a hose to wash cars, boats, trailers, buses or other vehicles or to wash sidewalks, building structures, other hard-surfaced areas or parts thereof without an operating automatic shut-off valve. Use of a hose for such purposes should be avoided whenever possible.

16.09.165 Storm drain system: prohibited discharges.

(f) Multi-family residential units and residential developments shall be prohibited from providing a designated vehicle washing area that would cause wash water to be deposited in such a manner or location as to constitute a threatened discharge into the storm drain system.

ok, it just says if I wash my car, I need a nozzle that shuts off when I am not holding it. Nothing that says I cant wash my car in front of my house.

You think the PAPD are going to waste their time to write a ticket if you don't have a nozzle on your hose?

Doubtful.

This is not about what is legal or illegal, what the PAPD will and won't enforce, or what you can or can't get away with. The underlying issue here is flushing soap and other chemicals into the drains to the bay. It is not good for the bay, and whether or not you can get away with it, there is something wrong if you don't care enough to desist.

The question I have is why the city itself, that made the laws, does not care enough to wash their vehicles in a water-safe manner. What's wrong with this picture?

"The question I have is why the city itself, that made the laws"

Again. What law?

I'm not sure it is a law. I HAVE seen statements at storm drains (not necessarily in PA) that say "no dumping, flows to bay" and similar. I am certain I have read notices from the regional water quality control district or similar entity advising to not wash cars in one's driveway since any runoff flows to storm drains and to the bay.

So no law then and no proof that the soap they are using is problematic. Washing their truck at the station allows them to be available for an emergency call. Not like they could drive their truck to the local car wash anyway.