subject: Saving Money With Sewage Pumpout Equipment [print this page] Marine sewage pumpout systems are essential to the enjoyment of boating and the safety of the environment. As people continue to discover the grandeur of boating, they also discover the hazardous effects of raw untreated sewage if it is dumped into the waters that they enjoy. Dumping this sewage from a boat is illegal in waters that are within three miles of the United States coastline, so it is important that boaters comply and understand the value of these systems. They must be in place and in good working order to keep our waters clean and as free of germs and waste as possible.
For the most part, the sewage pumpout equipment is in dire condition in marinas across much of the country. There are not enough of the stations first of all, and too many of those that are in existence are in terrible condition. If the units at the stations do work, some do not work very well. Many smaller marinas are frustrated with the legal specifications that require sewage pumpout equipment because many times the only suitable place to put them is at the end ties of a dock. The problem lies in the fact that the biggest boats are often docked at those end ties, making it impossible for others to reach the pump outs. The bigger boats are also the ones that make up a majority of the revenue for the marinas, so the marinas do not want to displace those large boats.
Although marinas get public funding and grants to cover installation and maintenance costs, many of the facilities remain in disrepair while marinas deal with other pressing issues throughout the seasons. Grants cover about 75% of the costs, and the marinas are usually responsible for the other 25%. However, many of the smaller marinas cannot afford to pay that 25%, which is another reason why so many systems are lacking or are in disrepair.
Los Angeles County and Ventura County in California are prime examples of problems that marinas are having with the systems. In 2005, 77 marinas in these areas had no waste pump out systems of any kind. More than 15,500 boats were docked at these marinas. With no pump out stations available, boaters must either hold their waste on board or travel beyond the three mile markers to dump their waste into the water. That is a lot of boats, and a lot of waste as well. As you can see, even though there are regulations in place for sewage pumpout stations, there is still a great problem in marinas around the country.
