Business Community
By following simple steps in and around your businesses, you can help protect our most precious natural resource, our Colorado water.
Keep It Clean!
Specific businesses can have a direct impact on our creeks and streams, unknowingly. They can impact stormwater by improper day-to-day activities, such as:
- Cleaning of equipment or buildings
- Spills
- Materials handling
- Cooling and refrigeration equipment maintenance
- Landscaping and grounds maintenance
- Dumpster and loading dock areas
- Parking lots
- Illegal connections to storm drainage systems
We are here to help educate you about the rules and regulations surrounding your business and water quality issues.
Business Education Program
The Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) Program is a partnership of local governments and businesses that encourages and recognizes environmental achievements. The PACE Program is a voluntary, non-regulatory program that offers free pollution prevention education and technical assistance to Boulder County businesses. PACE will visit your business and provide you with one-on-one pollution prevention education and outreach materials. Call PACE today for a free stormwater consultation! 303-786-PACE (7223)
We are here to assist:
- Automobile Part Stores /Do it Yourself Mechanics English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Car Washes
Car Washes
To increase awareness of storm water pollution prevention among car owners, KICP posted advertisements within local buses and posted signage at most local self-serve carwashes thanking the community for using a commercial car wash instead of washing their vehicles at home on impervious surfaces, which drain directly to our creeks.
- Carpet Cleaning
Carpet Cleaners
Carpet cleaners have been identified as having the potential to negatively impact water quality due to the practice of discharging wastewater to storm drains. This disposal method is illegal and the waste water must drain to a sanitary sewer system.PACE has developed water quality protection practices for carpet cleaners, as well as an online training and test.
Carpet and Furniture Cleaner Training
- Gas Stations
Gas Stations
The water quality impacts posed by motor vehicles have been well documented. Aspects of the problem are currently being addressed throughvPACE’s vehicle repair and auto body outreach; however, the need exists to educate gas stations on their potential water quality impacts and the practices that they can employ to mitigate these impacts.
Common sources of pollutants from gas stations include:
- Outside storage of material and equipment
- Disposal of grass clippings and other organic waste
- Leaks of fluids
- Outside washing
Contact PACE for a free onsite consultation visit to be sure your establishment is conducting operations with water quality in mind.
- Homeowners Associations
- Hood Cleaners
Hood Cleaners
Mobile cleaners perform restaurant hood cleaning typically at night when the restaurant is closed. The cleaners have been known to move the equipment to the exterior of the restaurant for cleaning without proper water quality protection practices. This practice is illegal and the waste water must drain to an inside sanitary sewer drain.
PACE has developed water quality protection practices for hood cleaners. PACE is working with restaurants and re departments to identify hood cleaning companies that service Boulder County to ensure they practice safe cleaning procedures.
Contact PACE for a free onsite consultation visit to be sure your establishment is conducting operations with water quality in mind.
For information on water quality protection:
LINK TO COME in the future - Landscapers
Landscapers
Landscape maintenance service providers perform many activities that have the potential to negatively impact water quality – including fertilizer and pesticide application, irrigation system installation and maintenance, mowing, and material staging.
Common sources of pollutants from landscaping businesses include:
- Outside storage of material and equipment
- Disposal of grass clippings and other organic waste
- Disposal of fluids
- Equipment maintenance
- Fertilizer use
Contact PACE for a free onsite consultation visit to be sure your establishment is conducting operations with water quality in mind. This consultation will include discussion of maintenance practices for permanent best management practices (i.e. detention ponds).
For information on water quality protection:
Yard Maintenance Factsheet
Landscape Maintenance Resource Sheet
Citizen’s Guide to Inspecting and Maintaining BMPs - Mobile Cleaners & Pressure Washers
Mobile Cleaners and Pressure Washers
Common sources of pollutants from mobile cleaning businesses include, soap, oil, grease, paint and dirt.
Exterior cleaning benefits water quality when done with water quality in mind. When mobile cleaners complete the PACE training and demonstrate that they are able to properly perform the practices that are protective of water quality they are added to the PACE Allies list that is shared with businesses requiring surface cleaning services.
For information on water quality protection:
- Property Managers
- Rental Stores and their Customers
- Restaurants
Restaurants
Common sources of pollutants from restaurants include:
- Litter and liquids from dumpster areas
- Grease from spills or leaks from outdoor grease bins
- Mop water being poured outside
- Wash water that is not collected from outdoor washing
Contact PACE for a free onsite consultation visit to be sure your establishment is conducting operations with water quality in mind and to become a PACE certified business.
Visit PACE Allies to find a pressure washing contractor for hire, who knows how to conduct their operations with water quality in mind.
For information on water quality protection:
Restaurant Brochure
Restaurant Resource Sheet English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF) - Vehicle Service Facilities
Vehicle Service Facilities
Common sources of pollutants from vehicle repair businesses include:
- Vehicle fluid leaks
- Outdoor washing
- Outdoor storage
Contact PACE for a free onsite consultation visit to be sure your establishment is conducting operations with water quality in mind and to become a PACE certifi ed business.
For information on water quality protection:
Vehicle Repair Resource Sheet
