Car Care for Clean Streams and Lakes

Update on Utility Bill Assistance Applications

The Utility Bill Assistance team is processing applications in the order they are received. Due to a large number of applications received, long‑term assistance applications may take up to 11 weeks to process; however, all approved applications will receive funding retroactively to February 2026 with no late fees, regardless of when the application is processed. For the latest updates, visit BellevueWA.gov/utility-bill-assistance

Car care for clean streams and lakes

When it rains, pollution from our cars is washed off our driveways, parking lots and roads and flows into storm drains and the stormwater system and is carried directly into local streams and lakes without filtration or treatment. Pollution that enters storm drains pollutes our local waters.

You can help keep our local streams, lakes, Puget Sound, and greater Salish Sea clean with three simple car care actions.

Image of a car in a car wash in a clip art graphic style.

Wash Right

Always wash cars, trucks, boats or RVs at a commercial carwash. This keeps soap and chemicals off our roads, out of our storm drains and greater stormwater system where it goes directly to local streams and lakes untreated. All soaps, even biodegradable soap, pollutes water and harms fish and insects.

Go To a Car Wash

Image of car leaking in a clip art graphic style.

Don't Drip & Drive

Fixing a leak right away may save your vehicle from a more significant repair and keeps oil and other car fluids out of local streams and lakes. If you notice a leak keep cardboard, a tarp or ground cloth under your car until it's fixed to keep fluids off the streets.

Fix Leaks Right Away

Image of a tire with a tire gauge in a clip art graphic style.

Don't Wait to Inflate

Keeping your tires properly inflated will improve your gas milage, reduce wear on your tires and protect local salmon. A tire chemical, 6PPDQ, is toxic to aquatic species and salmon fry. Properly inflated tires reduces tire dust and particles picked up by rainwater which is washed into local streams, lakes, Puget Sound and the greater Salish Sea.

Check Your Tires

Checking for leaks

Image of person in purple shirt sliding a large piece of white paper under the front of a car to check for fluid drips or leaks. — Checking for and fixing leaks right away protects your car's engine and prevents pollution.

If you have a regular parking spot, check for any changes in color or stains in the area under your car. Fresh drips on any parking surface may mean you have a leak.
Place paper, cardboard or a ground cloth under your vehicle to check for a leak. This works best when your car is “warmed up” or has been running for over ten minutes. Check for drips after a few hours or leave it overnight to check in the morning.
Request a “Vehicle Leak Check Sheet” from the City of Bellevue’s Stream Team if you have a gas, diesel, or hybrid vehicle. Send us your Bellevue mailing address at StreamTeam@bellevuewa.gov and we'll send you a leak check sheet with instructions (while supplies last).
Keep cardboard, ground cloth or drip pan under your vehicle if there is a leak to keep fluids off our streets and avoid polluting our streams until you can get it repaired.
Take your car or truck to a repair shop right away. A leak may mean there’s a problem with your vehicle.

Recycle your used motor oil and filters

Image of a black drop with vehicle gears in an ICON style representing the program encouraging citizens to recycle their used oil from vehicle oil changes.

If you are one of the many people who change their own motor oil, recycling used oil and filters is FREE for everyone at several automotive locations in Bellevue. Bring the used oil in a clean container. Remember the filter too; filters are drained and recycled.

Recycled used motor oil can be re-refined into new oil, processed into fuel oils, and used as raw materials for the petroleum industry. Motor oil does not wear out—it just gets dirty—and recycling it saves a valuable resource.

Learn more about Bellevue's Shift Green Program and about other items you can recycle.

Smaller quantities of oil accepted (amount of an oil change):
- AutoZone, 15015 Main St.
- Greg’s Japanese Auto, 13421 NE 20th St. (No filters accepted)
- Len’s Automotive, 1620 136th Pl. NE
- O’Reilly Auto Parts – Eastgate, Factoria and Overlake
Larger quantities of oil accepted (limit of 5-gallon containers and 25 gallons total per visit):
- Factoria Hazardous Waste: 13800 SE 32nd St. Bellevue, WA 98005.

Report 24-hour emergencies and utilities maintenance

To report flooding, water main breaks, sewer overflows and pollutant spills, call our 24/7 hotline at 425-452-7840, or fill out the MyBellevue Customer Assistance Form on our webpage with the details. You can also download MyBellevue App to make a report and send us photos right from your phone.