Many activities around your home have the potential to result in water pollution, but doing the right thing is easy. The most important thing to remember is that “outside drains only drain rain”.
Find out how you can help prevent pollution around the home by reading the answers to the following questions:
Should I wash my car, boat, and lawnmower on my driveway or on the road?
No, wash your car and other equipment on the grass so that soapy runoff can soak safely into the ground, away from underground drainage and not into an outside drain.
You could also visit a commercial wash facility where all washwater goes to the sewer system.
There are over 105,000 residential vehicles in North Shore City.
Studies indicate that every year approximately 36 million litres of wastewater, containing 75,000 litres of cleaning agents and 12,000 kilograms of other pollutants, are entering streams, lake and our beaches, just from people washing their cars on the road.
And that is not accounting for the washing of rental equipment, machinery, boats, lawn mowers, concreting tools and business vehicles.
I have just finished painting, can I wash my brushes outside?
Yes, you can wash your paintbrushes and other painting equipment on the grass, away from underground drainage. You can also wash them at an inside sink that flows to the sewer. If you are washing your equipment inside, make sure there is no raw paint entering the drain as this may cause blockages. Unused paint can be taken to the HazMobile or Paintwise collections, where it will be recycled, or small amounts can be left to dry in tins and then be disposed of in your normal rubbish collection.
What should I do with the used oil from my car, boat and lawnmower?
When changing the oil in your car, or other machinery such as your lawnmower and boat, collect your used oil and take it to the next HazMobile collection. Used oil cannot go down an inside or outside drain as it will damage the environment or kill the microorganisms that help process our sewage at the treatment plant.
You can also take other hazardous wastes to the HazMobile such as old pool and garden chemicals, poisons, batteries and smoke alarms. Store your hazardous wastes under cover until the next HazMobile collection.
Can I wash my cement and concrete equipment on the grass?
Yes, you can wash your cement and concrete tools on unsealed ground away from protected trees and underground drainage. You may also rinse your equipment in an inside drain but be sure that no solids go down the drain because they will cause blockages when they set.
Wash your tools on the grass and use sandbags to stop concrete slurry and wash water from entering stormwater drains. If you dont you could be fined at least $750.
What should I do if I have a spill?
If you have a spill outside at home, take immediate steps to prevent it from flowing down any outside (stormwater) drain or contaminating your land. Absorb the spilt substance with paper, rags, sand or dirt, shovel it into a container or bag that can be sealed, and dispose of via the domestic rubbish. If the substance is toxic call North Shore City Council’s Actionline for disposal advice.
How can you help?
If you see anything going down an outside stormwater drain or any water pollution occurring in your neighborhood, in a stream or at the beach, call North Shore City Council’s Actionline phone (09) 486 8600 or Auckland Regional Council’s Water Pollution Hotline on (09) 377 3107 anytime - 24 hours, 7 days a week.
