Ever wonder where those drains go that you see on the edges of streets
or in parking lots? You might think that water, or other things
going down them leads to a treatment facility to get cleaned up.
Well, unfortunately it doesn't. Storm drains lead directly to
ditches, streams, lakes and bays. They are meant to transport clean
rain water, nothing else. So if you are conducting an outside
activity - such as a car wash, or pressure washing - you need to keep that
water from going down the storm drain.
One easy way to do this is by using a storm drain kit. These kits
are simple pumps that drop into a storm drain catch basin. As water
from your activity drains into the catch basin, it gets pumped up through
a hose to a sanitary drain or somewhere it can be properly treated.
Non-profit groups running charity car washes can borrow the kits free
of charge from the City of Bellingham. Kits are now available for
businesses to borrow as well. Call
Kym Fedale or Joy Monjure, Environmental Resources 676-6961.
Or use the plans below to build your own
kit.
Storm Drain Pump Kit
contents and instructions (Adobe pdf format - 96KB)
