If you own a pressure washing business one of the smartest things you can do is get involved with the local and regional enforcement for storm water environmental laws. The reason being is they do not understand the washing process of the industry and you can assist them with pertinent information. Secondly you learn about opportunities in the market and third, you can prevent really bad legislation which could potentially put you and your business out of work.

I have always been involved in these issues because I believe in clean water, my company has to be on the leading edge of these laws due to the market sectors we wash in. Let me give you an example. My company; The Car Wash Guys have worked with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board in Phase II of the NPDES permits for the 8 counties and 41 municipalities and sixteen areas of the Central Coastal Region (Region 3). On March 1st, 2003 all municipalities and Counties in California's Central Region had a deadline to complete their final plans for their NPDES Permit. Having served on such committees with Water Resource and Storm Water Management Executives and Consultants, I understand the need for good information and was able to easily assist with the knowledge they needed. We have sat in on countless hours in many regions and helped out in many states with information to make appropriate laws and rules to protect our water supply without hurting business and industry in an effort to compile responsible rule making while keeping the water clean.

This is being done to prevent beach closures from Urban run-off problems. Beaches in Santa Cruz, CA and Santa Barbara County, CA have been closed previously from Urban run-off contaminants. There are issues from e. coli bacteria and organic compounds to asbestos and petroleum distillates. It is a serious issue for Sea Life, the Fishing Industry and local swimmers. Many people from Central Valley in the summer come to the shores of beautiful Central Coastal, CA to escape the heat.

We met with Ms. Jennifer Bitting, Official Water Resource Control Engineer in the California Regional Water Quality Control Board's Region 3 Head Quarters located in San Luis Obispo, CA. We discussed the 8 State Enforcement Officer's duties for the area and how these new changes gave municipalities the responsibility and power to regulate their local run-off issues. Each municipality has a wide variety of issues from insecticide issues (usage among farmers is at an all-time low), Golf Course fertilizer run-off, Wineries, Cattle and livestock issues, processing plants, Industrial users and surface cleaners. We also discussed the Car Wash Fundraiser Issues of which we are the experts in the field.

Christopher Stevens and Mark Fong have put in tireless hours in promoting clean beaches with their CBI (Clean Beach Initiative) Program involving over 38 Coastal California Beaches. Some of the most important and pristine beaches on the West Coast. They were instrumental in getting AB 2434 passed by California State Assembly Members Pavley and Nakano. As you may be aware Car Wash Guys supported this funding to keep the pollution away from the beaches and not the situation get out of hand. You can support such efforts to, having a good understanding of the pressure washer business, methods and reality of surface cleaners and their operations. Although The Car Wash Guys are not total environmentalists, we do believe in clean water and see no need to pollute the Earth when there are simple BMPs that can be used to mitigate any hurtful contamination. We are for reasonable controls, at reasonable costs, responsible government, free market productivity and everyone enjoying the future Utopia we all seek as Americans. It is wise for you to makes sure your thinking is here and that you do your part to keep the environment clean; you can start by getting involved, developing proper environmental controls and Best Management Practices. Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs