HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME IN THE AUTOMOBILE REPAIR AND SERVICE BUSINESS?
- Changes to Indianapolis zoning codes and Marion County health ordinances will likely affect your business operations by mandating certain Best Management Practices (BMPs) that were previously voluntary.
- If you are careful to contain your contaminants, you will avoid polluting your site, or environs and avoid a potentially expensive clean-up down the road.
- Being a good neighbor in your wellfield is good for your business – it will be appreciated by your customers.
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT A WELLFIELD?
For many years we believed that our groundwater was protected from contamination by being underground. We now know that substances on the surface can seep down and contaminate our drinking water supply. As Central Indiana grows the only source of additional water will be the groundwater resources.
WHAT ARE POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS?
In the automotive repair business, leaking storage tanks are an obvious hazard. But don’t forget cleaning and degreasing chemicals, paints, old batteries and other vehicle fluids. Keeping chemicals off the ground is the major goal!
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP PROTECT GROUNDWATER?
- Upgrade any storage tanks, if you have any, with secondary containment structures to meet federal and state requirements.
- Do not allow disposal of vehicle fluids or degreasers into sewers, dumpsters, or by pouring onto the ground.
- Reuse degreasing chemicals when possible – use dirty degreasers for first cleaning and new degreaser as a final wash.
- Use containment pans underneath displays or stacks of fluid containers to retain spills from broken containers.
- Clean-up minor spills (0.5 to 5 gallons) with granular absorbents, such as cat litter, and have it hauled away by a licensed disposal company.
- Train all employees on spill prevention and containment.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
There are many resources and face-to-face help to assist you in being compliant. Here’s what you can do:
- Review the resources from The Indiana Department of Environmental Management specifically for auto repair and maintenance.
- Review our resource page for helpful videos, websites, and signs for your business.
- Contact us for a Wellfield Review or help on developing your spill plan.
