Where Does Pressure Washing Wash Water Go? What Sarasota and Manatee County Rules Say

Property managers hire us to clean a building. What happens to the water is part of the job. Here is what the local documents say, and what we could not confirm.

We are a cleaning company, not lawyers. This is a summary of public documents with links. Confirm how the rules apply to your property with the county or city.

Sarasota County

Sarasota County’s Water Pollution Control Code prohibits non-stormwater discharges to the county’s stormwater system unless they are exempt under the county’s permit (Sec. 54-187(d))^[1]. It defines an illicit discharge as any discharge to a stormwater system that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except discharges under a permit^[1]. The sections we read do not name pressure washing. Whether a given wash-water discharge is exempt depends on the permit text, which we could not confirm, so ask Sarasota County Stormwater.

Manatee County

Manatee County prohibits discharges to its municipal storm sewer system other than stormwater flows (Ordinance 00-02)^[2]. The exemptions it lists include street wash waters and individual residential car wash water, and commercial pressure washing is not listed^[2]. The county says the discharger, not the county, must demonstrate that a discharge is uncontaminated, and that fines can reach $2,000 per day^[2].

City of Bradenton

The City of Bradenton says any discharge to the drainage system or a waterway that is not entirely stormwater is prohibited, and that pollutants may not enter the street, gutter or storm drain^[3]. Bradenton stormwater drains to the Manatee River, then Tampa Bay and the Gulf^[3].

North Port

North Port has an Illicit Discharge Ordinance, No. 05-47^[4]. The city says stormwater routed to Myakkahatchee Creek and the Cocoplum waterway supplies the city’s drinking water^[4], so what enters the storm system there matters more than usual.

Charlotte County side of Englewood

Charlotte County runs a stormwater NPDES program to reduce stormwater impacts on Charlotte Harbor^[5]. It publishes a handbook on identifying illicit stormwater discharge^[5].

Questions to ask any pressure washing contractor

• Where does the wash water go at my property, and how do you keep it out of storm drains, ponds and canals?
• Does the job involve any chemicals, and what happens to them?
• Does my county, city or association require notice or approval?
• Who is responsible if a discharge is reported?

What we could not verify

• Whether pressure washing a commercial building is exempt in Sarasota County. That is set in the county’s permit, which we did not retrieve.
• The text of the City of Bradenton and Manatee County stormwater ordinances beyond what the pages above state.
• Any Florida DEP or Southwest Florida Water Management District guidance written specifically for pressure washing buildings.

Property managers can see our commercial pressure washing, the areas we serve and the guide to how the rainy season, salt and humidity wear on commercial buildings.

Sources

1. Sarasota County Water Pollution Control Code (Art. VII, Sec. 54-187)
2. Manatee County: municipal storm sewer system permits and Ordinance 00-02
3. City of Bradenton stormwater
4. City of North Port stormwater management
5. Charlotte County: stormwater NPDES program