Protect our water resources…through proper car care.
Washing your car or changing vehicle fluids at your home can send harmful chemicals and detergents directly into your retention pond if proper steps are not taken. It is likely that every storm drain in your neighborhood drains directly to your retention pond. Allowing vehicle fluids or chemicals to flow into the street is just as bad as dumping these harmful agents directly into your retention pond. Oil and other chemicals in your retention pond can accelerate algal and bacterial growth and kill fish, creating an unsightly mess and an expensive cleanup problem.
Here are some tips for responsibly taking care of your vehicle:
- Take your vehicle to a commercial car wash that recycles or treats the water.
- If you do not want to take your vehicle to a commercial car wash, clean it on the lawn. This way, the soapy water does not go directly into the pond but is filtered through the grass. Also, use biodegradable soap.
- When changing car fluids, make sure to drain different fluids into separate drip pans. This makes it possible to recycle each fluid.
- Do not dispose of oil or other vehicle fluids in the pond, street, gutters, or garbage.
- If a spill does occur, clean it up immediately! You can use kitty litter, sawdust, or cornmeal to clean up spills.
It is important to recycle used oil and other automotive fluids. Here are some places in or near Warren County that accept used vehicle fluids:
Radiator Coolant, Transmission and Used Motor Oil
Oil Express
513.777.8679
7479 Tylers Corners Road
Transmission and Used Motor Oil
Oil Express
513.754.0041
5240 South State Route 741
Smyth Automotive
513.777.6400
8868 Cincinnati-Columbus Road (U.S. 42)
Used Motor Oil (Only)
Auto Zone
513.398.8118
1145 Reading Road (U.S. 42)
Storm drains are for rain…Not automotive fluids.