Power play zaps graffiti New machine should save time and money


09/20/06
By Bryan P. Sears

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Hunter S. Thompson bit the dust, again.

County officials and the inventor of a power-washing system erased a tribute to the late gonzo journalist - his initials and date of death spray-painted onto the 150-year-old white marble steps of the Old County Courthouse - using a new system designed to make the removal of graffiti safe and easy.

In less than five minutes, all that was left was a small puddle of rust-colored water and the fine, gritty remains of the mined volcanic ash that is used in the process.

"We not only want to keep our county parks green but also clean," county Recreation and Parks Director Robert Barrett said at a Sept. 18 press conference.

The county will be the first in the state to use the $45,000 machine. New York City uses a fleet of 1,000 machines to battle its graffiti problem.

From July 2005 to March 2006, the county's two-man Graffiti Eradication Team handled 501 calls. Nearly 25 percent of those were for obscenities.

Parks in the Dundalk and Lansdowne areas were most frequently in need of graffiti-removal services, according to a county database.

The most common problem reported was graffiti on buildings at ball fields around the county.

Previously, the county used a chemical-laden process that was inappropriate for areas such as playgrounds because the chemical residue can cause burns.

Nigel Farrow, a resident of England and an avid boater, invented the system. Farrow said he was looking for a way to safely clean boat hulls without damaging the fiber glass.

The result is a power-washing system that uses volcanic ash and water pressure equivalent to the average garden hose, about 50 pounds of pressure per square inch. It uses just two quarts of water per minute.

A standard power washer can generate upward of 2,200 pounds of pressure per square inch of water pressure. With the right nozzle, that would be enough pressure to cut a hole in a hand or foot. The pressure and chemicals can damage most surfaces.

The county expects to save money using the new system.

Last year, the county spent $26,000 on chemicals to remove graffiti. The two-man graffiti removal crew spends up to two hours on an average job, and the graffiti is not always completely removed.

The county expects to spend just $3,000 yearly on volcanic ash for the new system. Each 50-pound bag should last for eight hours of graffiti removal.

County officials estimate that it will take just a few minutes to remove most graffiti.

County Executive Jim Smith even took a turn with the equipment and erased red spray paint from the steps. The paint had been added by a county employee before the demonstration.

"Graffiti is a downer for the bricks and mortar as well as the spirit of the community," Smith said.

To report graffiti-related problems on county properties, call 410-887-3871.


E-mail political editor Bryan P. Sears at political editor Bryan P. Sears@patuxent.com