Dry wells

Juan Juarez

New member
Hello everybody I've been doing a lot of research, and have found some info, but I would like to have a little more light shed on this topic or if someone could point me in the right direction to go read up on this. I do not mind reading I do it all day on these forums.

I read in a post on another forum that the clean water act (1970's I believe) made it manditory for properties to have dry wells is this true with all commercial properties built after 1970'?

If so how are these dry wells found? Do we ask the pm, dm or gm about them?

If you are cleaning on a site with dry well is recovery necessary? Or is it considered a violation to bmp's?

From what I have read and seen on this topic it should be just fine to let wash water go into these systems because well built dry wells filter out the sludge and other this and drains it into the ground which I believe does not reach the waters of the united states and therefore does not violate the (CWA), but I have been wrong before.

Sorry about all the questions I'm just really trying to inform myself as best as possible any info will help.

Thanks,
 
I know where im at Central Oregon, it is at least frowned upon to rinse washwater into dry wells. Our drinking water sources are underground aquifers so anything that goes into the ground potentially could contaminate those sources

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Tired tonight but should be addressed

None of us create waste


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I think it depends on what your doing for sure. Sometimes I use heavy chem to strip coatings...definitely waste. Sometimes I rinse asphalt with cold water... definitely NOT waste.

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I just started to carfully read through my citys bmp and it states " the City has Identified in its SWMP numerous catigories of uncontamined non-storm water discharges that are allowed based on the City's belief that they will have minimal impact on storm water quality in Houston. These categories include pavement wash waters, provided cleaning chemicals are not used."

Then later it states "The city has a reasonable expectation that such uncontaminated discharges are not signifcant sources of pollutants"

Is this telling me its fine to discharge into the storm drain as long as there is no chemical used in the process of cleaning or is this telling me its okay to discharge into the interceptor connected to the city's sanitary.

Up to this point I always read on hear and heard from differnt people that no water in the drain unless its rain. I still believe this and may be reading my city's bmp wrong tomorrow I will look up the SWMP and try to get a better understading. I want to comply with the laws in my city and not be like others here in Houston.(the splash and dashers)
 
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I think it depends on what your doing for sure. Sometimes I use heavy chem to strip coatings...definitely waste. Sometimes I rinse asphalt with cold water... definitely NOT waste.

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Yes if your adding pollutants to your process.

See how confusing washing with stripping?

The two don't compare!

Even washing a vehicle is different than cleaning a walk.

Still will have to answer fully when I can.

Mike Florida is compliant with detention & retention systems.

Show you a video with your own regulators telling you that using dry wells are the number one source before any other method.


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I am pretty sure I have read you can not rinse to dry wells ( we don't have dry wells in FL) If I remember right the contractor was fined and had to have the dry well cleaned. I am sure Ron or Scott will know the answer, as they have dry wells in their state.

You need to be careful where you get your information from. There are some "environmental" contractors that sell fear to everyone, so potential customers are required to use their services at inflated prices.
Ron is more well versed in dry wells, because I don't do a lot of strip malls and such. Okay, I don't do any... But keep in mind that soil percolation is often an acceptable means of remediation through dry wells and retention basins. Also the use of these devices means no off property discharge, by their very nature.
 
Mike Barret here is the video Ron was talking about with the Fl regulator.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sGhjNHulnfc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

I have if on my channel , can't locate on phone


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I know where im at Central Oregon, it is at least frowned upon to rinse washwater into dry wells. Our drinking water sources are underground aquifers so anything that goes into the ground potentially could contaminate those sources

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Do you have a closed loop?

How do you dispose of water?

Who decons the rig?

Who checks calibration ?

Who monitors waste water?

What permits are needed?


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Do you have a closed loop?

How do you dispose of water?

Who decons the rig?

Who checks calibration ?

Who monitors waste water?

What permits are needed?


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Excellent questions for sure.
 
Do you have a closed loop?

How do you dispose of water?

Who decons the rig?

Who checks calibration ?

Who monitors waste water?

What permits are needed?


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When starting my business I personally spoke with representatives from EPA, DEQ, the City IPP Coordinator for multiple cities, and officials for the Solid Waste Department that I utilize.
Here is how I interpret my regional laws/issues/BMP's and how I run my system:

EPA delegates enforcement and monitoring tasks for a variety of issues including wastewater, air quality, NPDES permits, etc. Local municipalities control their own IPP (Industrial Pretreatment Program) as per EPA (In Oregon, EPA Region 10 delegates IPP oversite authority to the DEQ). Any of the different cities I work in I contact the IPP coordinator and discuss my procedures and how they would like me to dispose captured effluents.

I do not run a self contained closed loop system in the sense of reusing my own captured washwater (I stayed away from this style system for a few reasons). In the general sense my procedures make me a closed loop system because I use fresh water to clean, I capture it, and I send it to the sanitary sewer for treatment, which is then discharged through a municipality held NPDES permit. Disposal methods and record keeping is different for each city that I work in. Some require monthly discharge reports, others do not. Permits are not required in any of the cities that I have worked in so far, verbal and written approvals are. They look at me the same as a carpet cleaning company who captures cleaning effluents during their extraction process.

Solids handling is another issue that I have had to deal with. Pretreatment BMP's in terms of sweeping and collecting solids prior to pressure washing are used. Then fall-out tanks and filters capture suspended solids in the cleaning effluents. My local solid waste facility holds a permit for Petroleum Contaminated Soils so disposing of my oil boom/oil pillows that float in my tank is as easy as throwing it in the garbage. The solids I remove from my tanks sits in a closed loop system until it is removed (on a yearly basis) and disposed of at the same solid waste facility.
 
When starting my business I personally spoke with representatives from EPA, DEQ, the City IPP Coordinator for multiple cities, and officials for the Solid Waste Department that I utilize.
Here is how I interpret my regional laws/issues/BMP's and how I run my system:

EPA delegates enforcement and monitoring tasks for a variety of issues including wastewater, air quality, NPDES permits, etc. Local municipalities control their own IPP (Industrial Pretreatment Program) as per EPA (In Oregon, EPA Region 10 delegates IPP oversite authority to the DEQ). Any of the different cities I work in I contact the IPP coordinator and discuss my procedures and how they would like me to dispose captured effluents.

I do not run a self contained closed loop system in the sense of reusing my own captured washwater (I stayed away from this style system for a few reasons). In the general sense my procedures make me a closed loop system because I use fresh water to clean, I capture it, and I send it to the sanitary sewer for treatment, which is then discharged through a municipality held NPDES permit. Disposal methods and record keeping is different for each city that I work in. Some require monthly discharge reports, others do not. Permits are not required in any of the cities that I have worked in so far, verbal and written approvals are. They look at me the same as a carpet cleaning company who captures cleaning effluents during their extraction process.

Solids handling is another issue that I have had to deal with. Pretreatment BMP's in terms of sweeping and collecting solids prior to pressure washing are used. Then fall-out tanks and filters capture suspended solids in the cleaning effluents. My local solid waste facility holds a permit for Petroleum Contaminated Soils so disposing of my oil boom/oil pillows that float in my tank is as easy as throwing it in the garbage. The solids I remove from my tanks sits in a closed loop system until it is removed (on a yearly basis) and disposed of at the same solid waste facility.

So since they are telling you to use sanitary do we know where that goes?

While you has asked questions did you ask them directly about practicing Bmp reducing oil with socks sweeping large debris an allowing the systems built in property to handle the water?

If I called an asked sanitary commissioner direct could I dump wash water into system would we get the same answer?

Please do not think I'm calling you a liar, I'm not. I just know that I different days I could get different answers.

Looks like you know how to answer the questions.

Some politically answered but with out further knowledge of your local enforcement I take your word.

Keep in mind one thing, none of those agency except state have jurisdiction.

Second no one from EPA will site you, if someone does it will be a pollution division of local law. Epa doesn't have time to mess with us. I know because I have heard them say. Third they leave this up do local munis because they are the permit holder.

FYI but maybe you know, if you wanted to classify yourself as a waste discharger they require x amounts to keep it.

Sorry they also will have to monitor you. I'm not saying they are not. I'm saying they are possibly stupid.

Anyone reading this please stay away from the ms4. It's easy

I still need a real key board to truly answer all the issues in this thread.

Right now the suns going down an it's cool out
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