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Topic
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NSW
The Building managers car park is awash with residents washing there cars on weekends, as that’s where the Hoses are.
Soapy water flies down the concrete and into the storm water drains. There are no signs on proper car washing behaviour. So the usual happens
1)Lots of noise made e.g. car washer on there phone/inging to themselves/chit chats 2)Soap left everywhere on the concrete 3) Soap going down storm water drains not remotely diluted properly.
I thought car washing was now banned in residential complexes(House or Apartments). There are no signs up about proper behaviour when washing car/or rules. I think there should be, or an outright ban on car washing in the building.
It’s annoying and noisy and bad for the environment.
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Replies
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I haven’t yet looked into whether car washing in strata is banned or not in NSW. It isn’t banned in QLD. However, you may not be aware that House Rules are not enforceable. Instead of House Rules, the car washing directives should be inserted into the By Laws and approved via a vote at a General Meeting. What do your existing By Laws say about car washing? Perhaps you can propose some more environmentally friendly directives for car washing via a Resolution at your next AGM. Worth a try?
I also don’t know if there is a blanket ban in NSW strata. Assuming there isn’t anything specific to strata, then washing cars on a hard surface with soap running into stormwater drains might well be contrary to state or local council regulations for anyone.
A common owners corporation rule/by-law/article is a catch-all requirement to comply with any law in force in the relevant location. So, it might be enforceable by that means or by just phoning the council and asking them to advise the OC in writing if it would not be permitted.
Does the OC have a grassed or gravel location where car washing could be permitted? Obviously there is demand for somewhere to wash cars. Perhaps people are washing on the carpark because they think they should not drive onto the grass to wash their cars. If that would risk creating an ugly track, perhaps two neat strips of pavers or concrete could be put down to designate a one-at-a-time car-washing spot? Perhaps uphill of a garden bed that could do with regular watering?
Washing a car in the street is illegal, because of residue getting into stormwater drains. Same applies to any facility where water might get directly in.
Most buildings now should have dedicated wash bays, where the water drains into arrestor/settlement pits, and should empty in the sewer. Often they have to be bunded, or suitably sloped to prevent run-off. In heavy-use car washes there might need to a mechanical filtering system as well.
The EPA can fine people for illegal washing, perhaps also the property owner(s) if they don’t have complying installations.