Carwash runoff blamed for red creek water
Owner: Everything used is biodegradable
Red water in Ward’s Creek near Essen Lane appears to have been caused by a stronger than normal dye used in soap by Benny’s Car Wash and Oil Change.
However, the soap product hasn’t negatively affected the environment, according to state Department of Environmental Quality officials.
“Our biggest thing is, is it causing an environmental impact and right now we’re not seeing that,” said Peter Ricca, emergency response manager with DEQ.
Inspectors from the department also checked the water downstream in Ward’s Creek and didn’t find any more red or pink material. It appeared the red material was biodegrading, which soap does, Ricca said.
Also, no dead fish, animals or birds were found in the area, Ricca said.
Water samples have been taken and preliminary results should be back Tuesday, he said.
Reports started coming in Saturday at about 3 p.m. of red water flowing in the creek across from Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center. DEQ inspectors were sent to find out what caused the discoloration.
Ricca said he couldn’t say yet where the material came from until more investigation is done.
However, DEQ did request Benny’s Car Wash to close down at about 5 p.m. Sunday and it remained closed on Monday, said Justin Alford, one of the owners of the carwash.
Alford said the carwash adds different colored dyes to soaps it uses at the business, and it appears that one of the barrels of dye may have been too strong, which led to colored water leaving the site.
However, he said, it’s not harmful.
“Everything we use is biodegradable,” Alford said.
Also, the carwash does have a discharge permit, said Rodney Mallett, DEQ spokesman.
In response to the reports, the carwash was cleaning out tanks on Monday, and for the time being, has suspended using dyes in its soap products, he said.
Alford said he hoped he’d get the approval to reopen on Tuesday.
DEQ worked with the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works to identify the source of the material.
David Guillory, assistant director of the Department of Public Works, said his staff confirmed the material wasn’t coming from sewer lines. Instead, they traced the source back to the carwash.
“We actually walked it and followed it all the way on site (of the carwash),” Guillory said.
The carwash has a system that is supposed to separate out chemicals used at the business before the waste water is discharged, Guillory said.
The concern, Guillory said, is whether the red water contains more than soap and dye, which will be better answered when preliminary water testing results come back Tuesday.