carpet cleaners and their waste water

[F Hamer]

Hello, I am a carpet cleaner that owns a truck mounted system that has a holding tank for the dirty water. The Health department in my city wants the water I collect discharged into a sanitary sewer system.Every car wash in my city has it's drain connected to the sewer, so that is where I dump my water. I user an inline filter to catch debris so I am not putting chunks in the drain I clean that out and put it in the trash. The sewer department in my city said it bills car wash owners on the amount of clean water they use, and that there is no way they can measure how much water goes down the drain. So it doesn't cost the owner of the car wash anything when I dump water there. Why do you guys have it in for carpet cleaners?

I know that on hot summer days the water I discharge has an aroma so if a car wash is busy, I will go to the next one.

It seems to me that lawn care services leave a bigger problem for you than I do.

 

[Randy]

We’ve been toe to toe with carpet cleaners and they always lose. The waste water from cleaning carpets is pretty nasty stuff. We DON’T allow them to dump their waste water, they are not welcome on the property. It’s called THEFT OF SERVIVES! And we have prosecuted many Capet cleaners over the years for this. We’ve sent them bills for dumping their waste water, they never pay because most of them are fly by night operators. They come in dump their waste water and leave, they don’t spend any money on any services. It cost me a lot more to install my waste water system than what you paid for your carpet cleaning truck and we have to pay to maintain that system. Why don’t you install your own sewer system and then you dump all the water you want at your own facility. If the water is so clean why not dump down a storm drain. Why don’t you pump the waste water back into the customer’s toilet like most of the reputable carpet cleaner do here?

 

[F Hamer]

what service did i steal? It didn't cost you anything.

 

[MEP001]

what service did i steal? It didn't cost you anything.

It cost a million bucks to build the wash.

The effluent stinks, and a lot of them I've dealt with don't use a filter. Most of the ones that do just dump it on the bay floor and leave it.

There's no way for us to know for sure what's been vacuumed up. The liability if you happened to dump 5 gallons of spilled pesticide that you cleaned out of someone's carpet could get a car wash fined (Someone had to spend $30,000 in fines and clean-up costs and was shut down for a month because of pesticide).

The lawn care guys are there spending money. If an operator chooses to allow the mess they make, that's their business. And I mean literally, it's their BUSINESS.

Lastly, I won't have someone parking in a bay keeping PAYING customers from using it on a busy day while they dump something.

It seems like you have some respect for the car wash operators since you're asking these questions and show concern for the smell, so try asking an operator for permissionto dump at their wash. But if you do it without asking, it's theft of service (In Texas it's the same as shoplifting which is an arrestable offense). Whether or not it costs me anything for you to dump your wastewater is really none of your business.

 

[6t7gto]

"The Health department in my city wants the water I collect discharged into a sanitary sewer system."

Ask the health dept. official were there is an accessible sanitary sewer opening that you can dump your waste water. Pop the heavy cover off it and go at it.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

The question really is--Why do carpet cleaners have it in for us?? One
dump can stink up a whole car wash. We go from pit to pit dumping chlorine to get rid of the smell! our time and effort must be free-- the chlorine must be free! Then we get customers that complain about the smell! So next time they wash they go to a different car wash that doesn't smell. Then for those that
recycle their water you have fouled it up with mold -bacteria- cat-dog urine and unknown chemicals that may cause them to use more water to get rid of the smell. Dumping into the sanitary sewer is not
the same as dumping into an open pit that eventually dumps into the sanitary sewer. All the carpet cleaners that have tried the short-cuts are out of business. They have been fined, and or had enough bad pr. They would dump into storm sewers- some took the cover of sanitary sewers and dumped directly,
but ran into problems not getting covers on. Some tried dribbling it out between
jobs. Some tried the rv dumps at truck stops-but got thrown out because the carpet fibers plugged the drains- or made rv's wait. My other business is apt bldgs- so i meet alot of carpet cleaners -when tenants don't clean-so you may lose business because i recommend the carpet cleaner to every tenant. If you can't respect another business-you obviously are not prepared for us calling the police on you. I have no problem calling it theft of
services and illegal dumping. The police seem to be fine with it also. I have heard some cases where the carpet cleaner had to pay to have all the pits cleaned-- had to suck it up to eliminate any problems--another $1K.
You can wash all you want--Just don't have it in for us and dump water.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

it doesn't cost the owner of the car wash anything when I dump water there. Why do you guys have it in for carpet cleaners?

F Hamer, thanks for being the first (afaik) carpet cleaner to be considerate enough to come here and ask about dumping your waste. I'll try to keep this short.

First, Disposing of waste does cost us, in fact it costs a lot in both direct and indirect costs. Many many factors contribute to those costs, other responses (above) mention some of them. Sorry, but if you dont agree then I think you're either not thinking about it clearly or not being honest.

Second, (continued...)

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Second, perhaps I can address your question about "what did I steal?" with some examples of "theft of services":
- Is it OK for me to bring my own food into a restaurant and use their kitchen to cook it, thier tables and chairs to eat, etc? Even if they're not busy? Why not, its not costing them anything - the oven is already on, the tables are already paid for.
- My local bank and my local police station have both have trash cans at the door. Do you think I'd be arrested if I used those cans to dispose of the waste from my packaging business every week?
- Please let me know your address so that I can leave all my trash (neatly bagged) on your curb twice a week. Its not costing you anything, you're already paying for trash collection, right?
- Let me turn your situation around. I own a mobile car wash business, I have waste water to dispose of, and I dont have a sewer connection. BUT: I know a guy who does carpet cleaning, so I'm going over and dump my water into his tanks (at night while he's not around) because I know he disposes of it correctly and it wont cost him anything to get rid of more water.


I dont have it in for carpet cleaners - I'm simply trying to protect my business from all the businesses and individuals who think they have the "right" to use my car wash as a public dump. Oil changes. Landscaping waste. Construction waste - piles of drywall and lumber scraps, nails, paint cans, you name it. RV sewage. tires and old auto parts. household trash. couches. dead animals. people shoveling stuff out of pickup trucks onto my parking lot. Horse trailers full of manure sprayed all over the walls and ceiling. Paint and tar that requires acids to clean up. The list goes on and on and on... and yes, sorry, but the list includes carpet cleaning waste.

hth.

 

[pitzerwm]

Another fact, the guy that mows the yards, collects the cuttings and has to dispose of them, Usually he must pay at the dump or somewhere. That is a cost of doing business. Dumping the water is part of your cost of doing business, that is what the customer is paying you for. We buy changers, they are $5K, they generate no revenue directly, but we have to have them, usually 2 per location.

In theory, we build the wash to make a return on our investment, so every time someone comes on the lot, if they are not spending money they are "stealing" part of our investment. Just the same as someone see you packing up and runs over with his car mats and asks you to "just give them a quick sweep". You are already there, you have the equipment out and running, but it still cost you $X to buy the machine and the truck, insurance, licenses. We don't care who you are, you come on our property, we expect/demand that you pay for that "service". I've had people say "Jesus, $2!!! all you are selling is water".

Starting to get the idea. And I agree with Paul, thanks for having the class to go through the hassle of registering and giving us your side and trying to understand our side.

 

[Bud]

How about the simple fact that getting rid of your waste water should be another "cost" of doing business for you like it is for everyone else. PLUS how about the fact is it is my property and I don't want you "DUMPING" there. It doesn't matter why, just don't do it because I said, it is my car wash. The fact of the matter is that they dump at car washes to make more money because it is convienent and quicker. They don't have to run back to the shop to dump into a proper tank..........if they have one at all. I have had carpet cleaners tell me if they can't dump at the car wash they just pull over outside of town and run it into the ditch. Boy, that's responsible. Pay up like the rest of us. If you can't make it by playing fair maybe you shouldn't be playing. Having said all that, I do understand that not all carpet cleaners are like what have been described here. Thanks for asking.........

 

[MudMoney]

What is your location in Montana ?

 

[Randy]

I did a quick search and found 54 carpets cleaners in Missoula Montana. http://www.yellowpages.com/missoula-mt/carpet I wonder where all the rest of them dump their filthy/nasty waste water. I then did search for RV dump stations in the Missoula area. I found 11 places that you can dump waste water, some are free and some heaven forbid you have to pay a small fee. http://www.sanidumps.com/rvdumpscity.php?citynum=2063&cityradius=1 So there you go Fred problem solved. I like Missoula, it a nice town, we’ve been there many times.

 

[buda]

F Hamer why don't you the the owner, make a deal to pay him a reasonable fee per month.

Why should you expect to be able to dump waste water for free?

 

[F Hamer]

maybe in the future SS car washes will be surrounded by tall fences with razor wire . Credit card activated security gates would allow access.

 

[2Biz]

maybe in the future SS car washes will be surrounded by tall fences with razor wire . Credit card activated security gates would allow access.

You've got to be kidding, Right?!?!?!

After all the logical and rational explanations as to why you shouldn't dump your bacteria ladden water at our washes and you come back with this?

 

[MEP001]

After all the logical and rational explanations as to why you shouldn't dump your bacteria ladden water at our washes and you come back with this?

His response is in the same "mood" as those I get from the guys I stop from dumping.

Credit card activated security gates would allow access.

There is a system like that which has been successful for some operators. It's usually done to stop problems like carpet cleaners dumping.

 

[MikeV]

Mr. Hamer, you went from being a good guy and responsible business owner to a real jerk. With that final comeback, you showed your true colors. Have a little respect for the rest of us responsible business owners. BTW...if I catch you dumping at my car wash..you WILL be arrested.

 

[robert roman]

In a doctor’s office, there are garbage cans for normal trash and special designed receptacles for medical waste that may be a bio-hazard. The normal trash goes to landfill. The medical waste is incinerated on-site at large medical centers and hospitals or it goes to a municipal incinerator.

Just like an oil change facility, there is “cradle to grave” responsibility for potentially toxic waste generated on-site.

Similarly, you may clean the carpets of someone at home on Hospice. So, potentially you may be extracting residue that comes from vomit, urine or feces which may contain blood, germs, medicine, etc. If so, this waste water is no different than bio-hazard generated in a doctor’s office.

Consider a rogue garbage collector who collects used rubber tires on the cheap and then disposes them by dumping into to culverts along roadways to save disposal costs.

If you are at a loss, contact a local fire and water damage restoration service for advice on how and where to safely dispose the waste water.

 

[Earl Weiss]

So it doesn't cost the owner of the car wash anything when I dump water there. .

Makes perfect sense to me. You can come to my place and dump anytime, no charge. All you need to do in return is leave me the keys for your truck. Don't worry, I will only use it when you don't need it and I will leave it with as much gas as it had when I use it so it won't cost you anything.

 

[Randy]

In my internet surfing today I found a web site of carpet cleaner demonstrating how he can get freshly spilled white paint out of a carpet in a ladies condo. Hopefully the waste water from this cleaning operation was disposed of properly and not dumped in the drains at a car wash. It’s scary when you think about what happens to the waste.