assessment of car wash runoff treatment using...

Assessment of Car Wash Runoff Treatment Using Bioretention

MesocosmsMesocosms98TH NJ Water Environment Association98 NJ Water Environment Association

Annual ConferenceMay 14TH, 2013

Steven E. Yergeau, Ph.D.Rutgers Cooperative ExtensionRutgers Cooperative ExtensionWater Resources Program

WHO ARE WE?

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program

WHO ARE WE?

The Water Resources Program is one of many specialty programs under Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The mission of the Program is to identify and address community waterthe Program is to identify and address community water resources issues using sustainable and practical science‐based solutions. This is accomplished through research, education, outreach and implementationoutreach, and implementation.

PROJECT GOALS

The goal of this study is to investigate whether rain gardens

PROJECT GOALS

e goa o s s udy s o es ga e e e a ga de sare an appropriate management practice for reducing pollutants from vehicle wash water (‘runoff’).

T d f di h i i d h b fi f• To date, few studies have investigated the benefits of using rain gardens to reduce the negative impacts from vehicle wash water, specifically surfactants.vehicle wash water, specifically surfactants.

Results from this research project will help develop design p j p p gcriteria for rain gardens used in controlling pollution associated with vehicle wash water.

OUTLINEOUTLINE

• Background• Background• Methods• Results• Conclusions• Future Work• Future Work

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

In New Jersey, and elsewhere, many groups hold carIn New Jersey, and elsewhere, many groups hold car washing fundraisers and other entities wash vehicles unaware of the pollution issues associated with the car wash runoff/wastewater.

V hi l h t i k t b fVehicle wash water is known to be a source of petroleum hydrocarbon waste (oils, greases, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]) heavy metalsaromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]), heavy metals, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), total suspended solids (TSS), and surfactants from car wash soap.( ) p

TYPICAL POLLUTANTS

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) ● Oxygen depleting materialL

FOUND IN RUNOFF

SedimentSoil particles transported from their source

LeavesOrganic material

Nutrients● Various types of materials that become

Toxics● Pesticides Herbicides Fungicides

● Various types of materials that become dissolved and suspended in water (commonly found in fertilizer and plant material): Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P)g

Insecticides●Metals (naturally occurring in soil, automotive emissions/ tires) Lead Zi

Bacteria/ PathogensOriginating from:● Pets

Thermal StressHeated runoff,

ZincMercury

● Petroleum Hydrocarbons (automotive exhaust and fuel/oil) Debris

● Pets●Waterfowl● Failing septic systems

removal of streamside vegetation

fuel/oil)● Surfactants

DebrisLitter and illegal dumping


The most common pollution pprevention strategies for vehicle washing involve:• Public education• Public education• Partnering with

commercial wash facilities for fundraiser events

• Use of storm drain inserts to collect wash water

• Washing vehicles on lawns and other pervious surfacessurfaces


We partnered with Clark e pa e ed aTownship’s Department of Public Works (DPW) to build a

i bl h i 2012sustainable car wash in 2012 using low‐impact stormwater management techniques (rainmanagement techniques (rain water harvesting and a rain garden).

DPW is adjacent to Clark High SchoolSchool.

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDCar washing fundraisers can b d ith h t d ibe done with harvested rain water at Clark High School and the car wash runoff is treated by the rain garden.

Each paying customer willEach paying customer will also get an educational pamphlet describing the car

h d h l i twash and how low‐impact techniques can be applied at home.

RAIN GARDENSRAIN GARDENS

A rain garden is a landscaped, shallow depression that is designed to intercept treatdesigned to intercept, treat, and infiltrate stormwater at the source before it becomes runoff. The plants used in the rain garden are native to the region and help retain g ppollutants that could otherwise harm nearby waterways.

RAIN GARDENSRAIN GARDENS

RAIN GARDEN BENEFITS

• Rain gardens provide a high level of treatment for

RAIN GARDEN BENEFITS

g p gsome types of pollutants.

• The plant material (trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses) within the rain gardens provide native diversity inwithin the rain gardens provide native diversity in the landscape and wildlife habitat.

• Stormwater treatment requirements may be ti fi d i i dsatisfied using rain gardens.

• They are aesthetically pleasing and easily incorporated into the existing landscape.p g p

POLLUTANT REMOVALMECHANISMS• Absorption to soil particles

– Removes dissolved metals and soluble phosphorus• Plant uptake

– Removes small amounts of nutrients• Microbial processes

– Removes organics and pathogens• Exposure to sunlight and dryness

– Removes pathogens• Infiltration of runoff

– Provides flood control, groundwater recharge, and nutrient f , g g ,removal

• Sedimentation and filtration– Removes total suspended solids, floating debris, trash, soil‐

bound phosphorus, some soil‐bound pathogens

METHODSMETHODS

• Four mesocosms were ou esocos s e ebuilt in June, 2011 following specifications

li d i h R ioutlined in the Rain Garden Manual of New Jersey.Jersey.

• Five sampling events took place between October 2011 and October 2012.

METHODSMETHODS

• A vehicle was washedA vehicle was washed and the vehicle wash water was collected and discharged into 3 of the 4 mesocosms.

• Clean tap water was discharged into the 4thmesocosm used as amesocosm used as a control.

METHODSMETHODS

All water (vehicle washAll water (vehicle wash water and control) remained in each mesocosm for 24 hours, mimicking the time it h ld t k f lshould take for a properly functioning rain garden to infiltrate stormwaterinfiltrate stormwater.

METHODSMETHODS

The clean water, vehicleThe clean water, vehicle wash water (as influent), and mesocosm effluent were sampled and analyzed for TP, TSS,

f t t d PAHsurfactants, and PAHs.These parameters were chosen based on priorchosen based on prior research investigating contaminants associated with vehicle wash water.

METHODSMETHODS

• Pollutant removal was calculated as percentPollutant removal was calculated as percent removal (%R) of the measured target analytes (TA) using the following formula:(TA) using the following formula:

100XTA

TATAR% OUTIN

• Data (both sample concentration and %R) TAIN

were analyzed for significance (p < 0.05) using analysis of variance (ANOVA: single factor).

RESULTS ‐ INFLUENTRESULTS INFLUENTMean pollutant concentrations in vehicle wash water (+ indicates standard deviation).

VEHICLE WASH WATERThe mean pollutant water (+ indicates standard deviation).

ParameterStandards for Fresh Waters

( /L)a

Vehicle Wash Water (mg/L)

pconcentrations from the vehicle wash water exceeded New Jersey (mg/L)a

( g )

TP 0.1 0.12 (±0.11)

TSS 40 0 81 60 (±49 80)

exceeded New Jersey surface water quality standards for TSS and

TSS 40.0 81.60 (±49.80)

Surfactants 0.1b 10.56 (±2.99)

PAHs Varies by PAH ND

TP.

Mean surfactant a NJDEP, 2011b Lewis, 1991

concentration was above the literature value for toxicity aNJDEP (2011) N J A C 7:9B SurfaceWater Quality Standards Division of Water Monitoring andvalue for toxicity. aNJDEP. (2011). N. J. A. C. 7:9B Surface Water Quality Standards, Division of Water Monitoring and

Standards, Trenton, NJ, Retrieved from www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_9b.pdf.

bLewis, M. A. (1991). “Chronic and Sublethal Toxicities of Surfactants to Aquatic Animals: A Review and Risk Assessment.” Water Research, 25(1), 101‐113.

RESULTS ‐ EFFLUENTRESULTS EFFLUENT

MESOCOSM EFFLUENTSOCOS U• Mean TSS and surfactant effluent concentrations were

significantly lower than the vehicle wash water. Mean TSS %R 85% d f %R 95%TSS %R was 85% and mean surfactant %R was 95%.– Mesocosm 1 mean TSS / surfactant = 91% / 96%– Mesocosm 2 mean TSS / surfactant = 82% / 96%Mesocosm 2 mean TSS / surfactant 82% / 96%– Mesocosm 3 mean TSS / surfactant = 83% / 93%

• Mean TP effluent concentration was higher than the vehicle wash water although the increase was not significant. Mean TP %R efficiency was ‐462%. Mean TP %R in the control was ‐1 705%%R in the control was 1,705%.

RESULTSRESULTS

EFFLUENT CHARACTERIZATIONU C C O• Mean TSS effluent concentrations were below New

Jersey surface water quality standards (40.0 mg/L) = 11 9 /L11.9 mg/L

• Mean TP effluent concentrations were above New Jersey surface water quality standards (0.1 mg/L) =Jersey surface water quality standards (0.1 mg/L) 0.70 mg/L

• Surfactant effluent concentrations were above /literature based values for aquatic toxicity (0.1 mg/L) =

0.54 mg/L

RESULTSRESULTSTotal Phosphorus (TP)

1.60

1.20

1.40

0.80

1.00

TP (m

g/L)

0.40

0.60

0.00

0.20

TPhosphorus11A TPhosphorus11B TPhosphorus11C TPhosphorus12A TPhosphorus12BTPhosphorus11A TPhosphorus11B TPhosphorus11C TPhosphorus12A TPhosphorus12B

Sampling Event

Runoff Control RG1 RG2 RG3

RESULTSRESULTSTotal Suspended Solids (TSS)

160

120

140

80

100

TSS (m

g/L)

40

60

T

0

20

TSS11A TSS11B TSS11C TSS12A TSS12BTSS11A TSS11B TSS11C TSS12A TSS12B

Sampling Event


RESULTSRESULTSSurfactants (LAS)

18.00

14.00

16.00

8 00

10.00

12.00

actants (mg/L)

4.00

6.00

8.00

Surfa

0.00

2.00

Surfactants11A Surfactants11B Surfactants11C Surfactants12A Surfactants12BSurfactants11A Surfactants11B Surfactants11C Surfactants12A Surfactants12B

Sampling Event


CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

• Rain gardens have the potential to effectivelyRain gardens have the potential to effectively reduce some pollutants associated with vehicle wash water.

• The removal efficiencies for surfactants were not enough to reduce concentrations below literature‐based values for aquatic toxicity.

• TP concentrations were higher in the effluent than the vehicle wash water, indicating that the organic planting medium and mulch are leaching

inutrients.

FUTURE WORKFUTURE WORK

• Four more rounds ofFour more rounds of sampling scheduled for 2013.

• Additional research is underway to determine which physical, chemical, and biological processes are occurringprocesses are occurring to remove the target analytical parameters.analytical parameters.


• Further work on the useFurther work on the use and design of these systems is needed to reduce effluent concentrations below N J fNew Jersey surface water quality standards.

• Sample car wash facility• Sample car wash facility at Clark DPW.


• Rain gardens installed on gschool grounds could be used to offset the negative impacts of car washimpacts of car wash fundraiser events by student clubs.

•• Other facilities that perform vehicle washing may also benefit from rain ygardens.

• Car wash events could become an education andbecome an education and outreach opportunity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSMy co‐investigators and co‐authors Michele Bakacsand Christopher Obropta Ph D P Eand Christopher Obropta, Ph.D., P.E..

Funding for this project was provided by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station through itsJersey Agricultural Experiment Station through its Hatch/Hatch Multistate Awards and the New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute.

The authors would like to thank the following Rutgers University students for help during this study: Rich Padgitt, Kyle Gourley, Nicole Del Monaco Dillon Soto and Carolyn PaulMonaco, Dillon Soto, and Carolyn Paul.

We would also like to thank the Department of Environmental Sciences for providing the vehiclesEnvironmental Sciences for providing the vehicles that were washed as part of this experiment.

Questions?Questions?

Thank you!

Steven E. Yergeau, Ph.D.Rutgers Cooperative ExtensionWater Resources Program14 College Farm Road

New Brunswick, NJ 08901Phone: (848) 932‐6745

[email protected]

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