Wash Water Reclamation in South Bend: Keeping Pressure Washing Runoff Out of Storm Drains
Wash water reclamation means capturing the water from pressure washing, filtering out oil, grease, solids and detergent, and then reusing it or sending it to an approved drain instead of a storm sewer. In South Bend, Elkhart and across Michiana, anything other than stormwater going into a storm drain counts as an illicit discharge, so commercial and industrial washing jobs need a plan for the water. T. George Podell & Co, family owned in South Bend since 1975, brings capture and filtration equipment to industrial cleaning jobs and builds wash water recycling systems for plants.
Why does wash water reclamation matter in South Bend and Michiana?
Storm drains in South Bend carry water straight to local waterways without treatment. The city's stormwater (MS4) program defines an illicit discharge as any discharge into the storm system that is not entirely stormwater, and lists vehicle fluids, paint and commercial wash water among the examples. That puts the responsibility on the property owner and the contractor to keep wash water out of catch basins.
Beyond compliance, reclamation keeps oily runoff off sidewalks and lots, prevents slippery or stained surfaces, and lets washing go ahead on sites where runoff simply isn't allowed.
What's in pressure washing wash water?
Clean-looking water can still carry plenty. Depending on the job, wash water picks up motor oil and grease, diesel soot, hydraulic fluid, road salt, detergents and degreasers, paint chips, metal fines, sand and sediment. Hot water washing loosens more oil and grease, which is good for cleaning and is exactly why the water needs to be captured and treated.
How does wash water reclamation work on a job site?
A typical capture setup follows these steps:
Contain: berms, containment mats or a wash pad keep water from spreading.
Protect drains: nearby storm inlets are covered or blocked before washing starts.
Recover: a recovery vacuum or sump pump pulls water into a holding tank.
Settle and separate: solids settle out and oil is separated from the water.
Filter: staged filtration removes finer solids and remaining contaminants.
Reuse or discharge: treated water is reused for washing, sent to the sanitary sewer where approved, or hauled away.
Which jobs need capture, filtration or recycling?
Job | Typical contaminants | Typical approach |
Parking garages and concrete | Road salt, oil drips, tire residue, sediment | Capture and filter before discharge |
Fleet and heavy equipment washing | Diesel soot, grease, hydraulic oil, mud | Capture, oil separation and filtration |
Manufacturing floors and machinery | Cutting oils, lubricants, metal fines | Capture and filtration, or an in-plant recycling system |
Building exteriors and masonry | Dirt, mildew, cleaning chemicals | Containment and recovery around drains |
Paint and coating removal | Paint chips, coating debris, blast media | Full containment and collection of solids |
Every site is different, so we confirm the approach after walking the job and checking where water can and can't go.
Should you hire it out or install your own wash water system?
For periodic cleaning, it usually makes sense to have us bring capture equipment as part of the job through our industrial cleaning and pressure washing services. If you wash every day, such as a fleet wash bay or a parts washing area, an in-plant system often pays off. We sell and service wash water recovery and filtration systems and design integrated wash, filtration and recycling systems in manual batch or automated configurations.
Contractors who want their own mobile setup can look at the recovery vacuums and filtration packages from our sister company Hot And Mighty.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I pressure wash into a storm drain in South Bend?
No. The City of South Bend's stormwater program defines an illicit discharge as anything entering the storm system that isn't entirely stormwater, and says dumping anything other than stormwater into storm drains is illegal. Wash water should be captured, not left to run into catch basins.
Where does captured wash water go?
It depends on the job and on what your sewer utility allows. Filtered water can sometimes go to the sanitary sewer with approval, be reused for washing, or be hauled away for disposal. We plan the path before the job starts.
Do you bring the wash water reclamation equipment?
Yes. When a job calls for it, our crews bring containment, recovery and filtration equipment along with the pressure washers, so capture is part of the job rather than an add-on.
Can you build a wash water recycling system for our plant?
Yes. We design and build in-plant wash, filtration and recycling systems for different pressure and flow needs, as manual batch units or automated equipment.
What areas do you serve?
South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart and the rest of Michiana, plus southwest Michigan, usually within about 60 miles of our South Bend shop.
Plan your next wash job with capture built in
Tell us what you're cleaning and where the water can go, and we'll recommend a capture and filtration plan. Call 574-233-9111 or stop by 23146 West Ireland Rd, South Bend, IN 46614. Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, weekends by appointment.
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