Puget Sound's Waste Water Discharge Regulations

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By Steve Fennell

As thousands of recreational boaters cruise Puget Sound in Washington State every year (Canadians included), providing adequate pumpout services to ensure clean, unpolluted waterways is no easy task. However, certified clean marinas, with support from non-profits, state and federal government are doing their part to provide adequate pumpout options for boaters.

Funded through the Federal Clean Vessel Act (CVA) and managed by Washington State Parks, The Clean Vessel Program was devised to address areas across the nation where pumpout facilities are limited. While more than 100 pumpout stations are currently in use throughout the region, Andy Gregory, Pollution Prevention Director for Seattle-based Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, explains that additional efforts are needed.

“We are working in conjunction with Washington State Parks and Washington Sea Grant on the Clean Vessel Program to address some of the underserved areas, specifically in south Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands,” said Gregory. “ So, we’re trying to help the local marinas get the resources they need to install pumpout stations or maintain their existing equipment.”

So far, efforts and incentives are already in place for marina operators and boaters to become more involved. For instance, Gregory explained that Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Washington SeaGrant are distributing more effective pumpout adapter deck fittings (at no charge and funded by the Clean Vessel Program) to recreational boaters for safe transfer of waste water.

Through the Clean Marina Program, funded by the Washington Department of Health, Gregory and a team of outreach specialists also provide technical assistance to marina operators, providing them with information for boaters. Certified marinas also enforce Best Management Practices (BMPs), which include polices for preventing small oil spills, reducing toxic discharges, and requiring the use of pumpouts.

Further, the CVA funds the installation of new pumpouts and ensures equipment is properly maintained to protect and improve water quality in Puget Sound.

“The CVA grants provide up to 75 percent of the cost of installation and maintenance as long as the marina provides the pumpout services for free or less than five dollars,” says Gregory. “Under the grant guidelines, marinas may even be eligible for reimbursement of part of salaries and benefits for staff that operate the pumpout stations.”

Another development in the program is the availability of grants for pumpout boats that serve recreational boaters on a one-by-one basis. The free service prioritizes convenience and is aimed to meet the demands of those boaters who only occasionally leave the dock, or for transient boaters who are at a slip or mooring buoys. Gregory explained these services are currently available in select areas of the region including Lake Washington, Portage Bay, the Ship Canal and the Duwamish River. Washington State Parks is also looking to expand this service to other underserved areas of Puget Sound.

More Developments to Come

Under Federal law it’s illegal to discharge untreated sewage in US waters within three nautical miles of shore. In fact, the Washington Department of Ecology has proposed a “No Discharge Zone” (NDZ) for Puget Sound, which would prohibit the discharge of treated sewage from Type I and Type II marine sanitation devices.

“The Department of Ecology is finalizing a rule-making process and the NDZ has already been approved by the EPA,” said Gregory. “If it’s approved at the State level (as early as summer 2018) then the use of onboard sewage treatment systems would become illegal, and all vessels transiting Puget Sound would be required to hold and pumpout their sewage. Our goal is to have zero discharges to Puget Sound. When you consider there are more than 50,000 permanent moored vessels in the region, the pumpout issue can have a cumulative impact on water quality. Releasing untreated or undertreated sewage can contaminate shellfish beds and make people sick.”