Car Care

Did you know that cars can cause water pollution?  As we drive, our automobiles leave bits of tires, brakes and rusty metal on the street.  When we park, our automobiles leave particles of oil, grease and transmission fluid on driveways and parking lots.  Less visible are the tiny exhaust particles that gradually settle out of the air onto the roadways. 

What happens to all this "car dirt" when it rains?  Rain washes auto pollutants off the pavement, down a gutter and into storm drains.  The storm drains are connected to pipes that carry the polluted water to local water bodies. 

You can help stop this kind of pollution!  The following are guidelines for actions you can take:

1. Recycle Oil. Old motor oil can be reprocessed and used again.  Just put it in a container with a tight lid and take it to one of the drop off areas found in the downloadable brochure. Hazardous waste information brochure

2.  Wash your car on the grass or (preferably) use a commercial car wash.  The dirty water from your car will settle into the grass or be recycled at the car wash.  If you wash your car on a paved driveway or parking lot, the dirty water ends up in the gutter.  When it rains the pollutants are washed into the storm drain and discharged into surface waters. 

3.  Keep your car tuned up. Cars that run smoothly burn less fuel and cause less pollution. Regular tune-ups reduce hydrocarbons, nitrous oxide and other pollutants that come from your car's exhaust pipe.

4.  Repair leaks.  Spots on your driveway mean your engine, transmission or radiator is leaking. Have the leak repaired right away.  Clean up the leak by using cat litter or another absorbent material to soak it up.  Sweep up the cat litter, put it in a sealed bag and dispose of in the trash. Never wash a spill with detergent.  Remember all that dirty water ends up in the lagoon.

5.  Check the pressure in your tires.  One of the simplest and cheapest ways to prevent pollution is to keep your tires properly inflated.  Under inflated tires reduce gas mileage, and they wear out faster!  By reducing the amount of gas your engine burns, properly inflated tires reduce the amount of polluted exhaust that your car makes.

6.  Drive less!  Driving less is a great way to prevent pollution.  Most polluted stormwater runoff comes from heavily traveled streets and highways. Possible ways to reduce drive time are:

Plan all your errands for one trip.  Walk, ride a bike, take the bus or join a carpool. Even once or twice a week can make a difference.