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 The Calabasas City
Council has adopted
an ordinance regulating mobile car wash operations within the
City of Calabasas. The ordinance, which goes into effect later this
month, requires mobile car wash businesses to obtain permits from
the City and follow certain regulations to prevent pollutants from
entering the storm drain system. Calabasas is the first California
city regulating mobile commercial car wash operations.
The Clean Water Act requires cities to create enforceable
regulations to prevent pollutants from discharging into storm drains
and eventually polluting creeks and oceans. The operation of mobile
car washes on various residential and commercial office driveways
and parking lots typically violate the Clean Water Act. Such
violations could subject the City to fines and notices of violations
by the
Regional
Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The Board is requesting
that local governments increase their efforts to prevent wastewater
generated from mobile washers to enter the storm drain systems and
make sure the waste water is properly discharged to the sewer system
or to a waste water recycling facility.
The new ordinance defines “Mobile commercial washing” as any
activity conducted for compensation that involves the washing of
automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, or any
other vehicle, and which is moved from one location to another, such
as to serve customers at their residences or places of work and
includes any temporary car wash event conducted by any person for
the purpose of fund raising. The new permit system requires each
mobile car wash operator to apply and receive a permit from the
City’s Public Works Department. The permit is valid for one year and
is not transferable. Each permit holder must ensure that all car
wash employees are knowledgeable of the discharge limitations listed
in the City’s ordinance and that they use appropriate preventive
measures whenever they are engaged in car washing activities. For
more information, please contact Alex Farassati, Environmental
Services Supervisor, at (818) 224-1600.
Application for Mobile Car Wash Operations Permit
Ordinance 2008-251 - Regulating Mobile Car Wash
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