RESOURCES
Tips & Traps of Cleaning Walkways
Cleaning your exterior walkways isn’t what it used
to be. Federal, state and local regulations have all gotten
much stricter so that it is now illegal to let any run-off
enter the storm drain system. Here are some tips and traps
to help you avoid very expensive violations.
- Think all your hosing into the street or drains is a little
dust and dirt? What can it hurt? Harmful bacteria are carried
by dirt & sediment. The removal of sediment or preventing
its transport to our recreational waters is the major aim
of storm water pollution controls.
- Some of the most harmful pollutants that make their way
into the storm water system are:
- Animal waste – bird waste contains more bacteria
that cats or dogs
- Cigarette butts – 1 or 2 seem harmless but
about a million are tossed each month
- Motor oil – one gallon pollutes a million gallons
of water
- Pesticides & fertilizers – upset the natural
balance of the ocean’s ecosystem
- Trash – most is not biodegradable and can kill
wildlife, especially plastic
- Gutters & outside drains feed into the storm drain
system, which was built for flood control purposes and carrying
away surplus rainwater. Storm water does not get treatment
like the water in the sewer system – it flows directly
into our creeks, bays, lagoons and ultimately the ocean.
- The EPA found that in Southern California, beachgoers
who swam in water near storm drains were 50% more likely
to develop a variety of illnesses.
- Studies show that 90% of water pollution is attributed
to daily urban activities unrelated to the sewer system.
Municipalities are working to repair the sewers but that’s
a small part of the problem.
- The Storm Water Conveyance System begins at the gutter
or drainage pipes at your home or facility. If a drain is
not marked “Sewer” then it’s probably
a storm drain.
- In a region that averages only 9 inches of rain a year,
an element of water conservation is also valuable. Sweeping
sidewalks & patios is a good first line followed by
wet mopping. But any method must follow the 3 C’s
- Control – be aware of the nearest storm drain
so you can avoid it
- Contain – prevent water from running into the
storm drain
- Capture – reclaim all water used with a wet
vacuum or similar method
- Where do you dispose of wash water? In some instances
it can be discharged into landscaped areas but some pollutants
can harm the plantscape. You can flush it into the sanitary
sewer system but be cautious of large amounts of sediment
that can harm plumbing.
- Locally, the rules on run-off apply to all 18 cities
in the county, the San Diego Unified Port District and most
of the county west of the mountains in the Cleveland National
Forest. It’s not just a coastal issue.
Whatever method you use, compliance is better than noncompliance.
Fines range from hundreds to thousands of dollars –
a day. The City of San Diego alone has already written over
500 citations! In the long run, compliance will mean you are
doing your share to protect our ocean and bays from pollution.
That also means you are protecting the 3rd most important
economic resource to our area – tourism!
Brenda Nielson & Cris Canning own and operate Simply
Sidewalks – an environmentally friendly service for
cleaning concrete and brickwork. The totally self-contained
system cleans & captures in one step using a minimal amount
of water. The scrubbing technique involved can mean a cleaner
surface than conventional hosing. They are a member of IFMA,
IREM and the GQA as well as being SBE Certified. For more
information, call (858) 602-7093, (619) 864-2570 or email
info@simplysidewalks.com.
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