Skip the Wash, Save the Lake: reducing road salt’s impact on our water

News coverage on road salt escalated this winter. And with good reason - it hurts our waterways.

But what’s the next step?

Two Toronto car dealerships lead the way. Toronto Honda and Toronto Kia, in collaboration with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, are launching Skip the Wash, Save the Lake.

This campaign skips your next car wash at the dealership to reduce pollution entering Lake Ontario. Water conservation is an added benefit. 

In Toronto, wash water enters the city’s combined sewers for treatment at a water treatment plant. The bad news? Polluted wash water can outflow into Lake Ontario, untreated, when heavy rain or snowmelt overwhelms the combined sewer system.

Washing your car in winter hurts Lake Ontario

Your car collects salt while driving around in winter months. Some people think this looks unattractive, or worry it causes rust, so they wash their car. This road salt increases the potency of the wash water.

The diverse species of plants, fish and other wildlife living in the lake are susceptible to changes in water quality caused by road salt. For example, increased salt levels can kill plankton - a main source of food for Lake Ontario fish.

Our blog post from November 2017, outlines impacts of salt on the environment. It’s a serious problem, but we can work towards a solution.

Reduce your impact on Lake Ontario

Reducing the number of times you wash your car, particularly in winter months, can help reduce your impact on the lake.

Toronto Honda and Toronto Kia skip the wash for their customers because it’s the right thing to do. Skip the Wash, Save the Lake demonstrates the power of local businesses.

For every wash skipped, Toronto Honda and Toronto Kia donate to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. So can you. Click here to donate and help keep our lake clean!