Wastewater Management for Mobile Washing

Under the Clean Water Act an organization cannot discharge wastewater directly to the “waters of the Commonwealth” without obtaining a permit.  Often, mobile washing operations can make arrangements with the local wastewater treatment facility (known as the publicly owned treatment works, or POTW) to properly dispose of the water that has been contaminated with dirts, oils, detergents, cleaning chemicals, or other contaminants.

Depending on the frequency, location, volume, and ingredients used in the cleaning operation, there may be acceptable methods of managing the cleaning wastewaters without the need for a permit from Pennsylvania DEP.