On May 1, 10:43*pm, "Cab"
wrote:
Hi folks,

I wonder if someone can give me some advice. I'd finished some painting
using water based paints and had just washes the brushes, etc, in a
bucket of water. I, inadvertently, poured this water over a patch of
soil in the garden (yes, yes, I know, I know) and now I'm on vision
only with SWMBO as she's complaining that the soil is now polluted.

You don't say what colour, but unless it was a lead based paint the
net effect is negligible (these days only used by professionals with
special license for listed buildings). And even then I would only
really be worried about growing leaf vegetables that could be
contaminated by splashing.

Modern water based paint will include some titanium oxide white
pigment and some other coloured pigments will be adsorbed into the
clays and the organic component will evaporate or decompose in
sunlight.

What's the score? How long would it take for the soil to repair itself?
Is there anything I can do to help it out?

Dig it over to hide the evidence :-)

Unlikely to have any other effect at all unless you are looking to
have Organic(TM) grower status.

Regards,
Martin Brown