CHILLUM CAR WASH CONVICTED OF WATER POLLUTION

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran announced today that Dr. Wash Inc. a car wash located at 5902 Riggs Rd. in Chillum Maryland was convicted of water pollution and ordered to pay a $5000 fine. Company President and owner Kelly Smith admitted that the car wash pumped its waste water out into the storm drain near the intersection of Chillum and Riggs Road on the weekend of September 17-18 in 2005. A witness took pictures of the green waste water running out of a hose coming from the business into the storm drain.

Prince George’s County District Court Judge John P. Morrissey imposed a $10,000 fine on the company, suspended $5,000 and placed the car wash on one year’s unsupervised probation. While imposing the sentence the Judge said that “the Chesapeake Bay is an important resource that has to be protected..” Following the recommendation of the plea agreement, the Judge noted that this seemed to be an isolated incident and admonished the defendant to be careful not to allow this kind of discharge again.

According to the statement of facts, the discharge occurred when Dr. Wash’s drain to the sewer became clogged and the car wash could not get a plumber to respond. Instead of closing the facility the company decided to pump its waste into the storm drain. The case was investigated by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General with assistance from the Maryland State Police.