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Salt Lake Valley Health Department

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Solid and Hazardous Waste

Carpet Cleaning

General Information

  1. Commercial/industrial wash water is prohibited from entering the storm drain system, street or any other outside area.
  2. All washing activities that use soap, solvents, degreasers or any other chemicals must be hauled to a certified landfill or discharged into the sanitary sewer through a sand/oil interceptor or approved pretreatment device. For more information about pretreatment devices and procedures, contact you local sewer treatment facility.
  3. Non-Hazardous Liquid Waste Haulers can be found in the Yellow pages under Septic Tank Cleaning.

Violations of the Clean Water Act

Utah Administrative Code (UAC) rule 19-5-107 states: ...it is unlawful for any person to discharge a pollutant into waters of the state or to cause pollution which constitutes a menace to public health and welfare, or is harmful to wildlife, fish or aquatic life, or impairs domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational, or other beneficial uses of water, or to place or cause to be placed any wastes in a location where there is probable cause to believe it will cause pollution.

Furthermore, Salt Lake Valley Health Department Regulation #13-10.1 states: it shall be unlawful for any person to place or conduct and sewage or wastewater into any street, alley, sidewalk, gutter, watercourse, canal, river, stream, or other waters of the State of Utah, or in any landscaped area, vacant land, or other place not suited or designed for the disposal for the disposal of sewage or wastewater

Carpet and drapery cleaning

  • Wash water is not allowed in the storm drain, street or any other outside drainage area.
  • Wash water must be discharged to the sanitary sewer or landfill.
  • Ask your customer if you can discharge the wash water into the sanitary sewer (a toilet, sink or clean out) on the job site.
  • Use a lint trap or filter when discharging to the sanitary sewer, dispose of the lint or fibers in the trash.
  • If wash water is collected and transported from the wash site, it may be discharged into the first stage of a sand/oil interceptor at your place (contractor’s) of business.
  • Untreated wash water may kill plants. Use caution when discharging wash water for landscape irrigation.
  • If a spill occurs, contain on site, or block the nearest storm water box from receiving soap, lint, debris laden wash water. Use pumping equipment to reclaim the contaminated water.
  • Pumping out water from a restoration project (flooding) should be pumped into a sewer connection, if the water is fouled.

Training

  • Train personnel on the safe proper disposal use and waste practices of cleaning with chemicals and other materials.
  • Require employees to sign a record of training and maintain these records.
  • Develop and implement a Storm Water Management Plan.

If a spill occurs

  • Place appropriate spill kits in all vehicles in case of an accident.
  • Stop the source of the spill immediately.
  • Contain the liquid until cleanup is complete.
  • Deploy containment booms, if the spill may reach a storm drain.
  • Cover a liquid spill with an absorbent material.
  • Keep the area well ventilated.
  • Dispose of clean-up materials properly.
  • Do not use emulsifiers or dispersing agents.

Remember: We All Live Downstream

More information

Bureau of Water Quality and Hazardous Waste
(385) 468-3862

24 Hour Emergency Line
(801) 580-6681

Local Sewer Districts

Salt Lake City Public Utilities
(801) 483-6770

Salt Lake City Suburban #2
(801) 255-7321

So Salt Lake Water
(801) 483-6014

Magna Water
(801) 250-2118

Granger Hunter Improvement
(801) 968-3551

Salt Lake Suburban
(801) 262-2907

Murray City
(801) 264-2695

Taylorsville-Bennion
(801) 968-9081

Kearns
(801) 968-1011

West Jordan
(801) 561-2352

Midvale
(801) 264-2652

Salt Lake Co Dist #1
(801) 571-1166

Salt Lake Co Dist #3
(801) 943-7671

Sandy
(801) 561-7662