New Projects, Environmental Efforts from Washington Sea Grant

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Words by Steve Fennell

As Washington Sea Grant (WSG) is still moving forward with its popular Pumpout Washington and Small Oil Spill Pollution Prevention programs for 2021, there are plans for a new research project, more outreach efforts, and they have even made a new app available for recreational boaters to better preserve the water quality and marine wildlife among the San Juan Islands, throughout Washington State, and parts of Western Canada.

Based at the University of Washington, WSG is partnered with the Washington State Parks Department (that manages the state’s Clean Vessel Act Program) as well as the Washington Department of Ecology to educate boaters and marine operators about proper sewage disposal; where to locate pumpout stations; offer assistance to maintain and install pumpout stations, and advise on the deployment of mobile pumpout services on heavily used waterways.

While state COVID-19 restrictions during the 2020 boating season limited its on-site outreach programs, promotion for its Pumpout Washington and Small Oil Spill Pollution Prevention programs continues to be effective. 

To date, approximately 41 million L (11 million gal) of waste have been disposed of at pump stations (compared to a mere four million gallons when the programs were first launched in 2009) and WSG has effectively reached out to tens of thousands of recreational boaters about the importance of properly disposing of sewage. It has also distributed thousands of sewage pumpout adapters, oil spill prevention kits, and fuel bibs to eliminate a common source of sewage spills. 

For summer 2021, its goal is to once again spread its message through outreach campaigns at select marinas and plans are set to work with harbour masters and port/marine operators to ensure on-site waste pumpouts are maintained and operating properly.

New WSG App and Boating on the Rise in Washington

The WSG, which tracks boat sales statistics for Washington State, reported that new boat registrations increased 12.5 percent in 2020 while used boat registrations were up 33.7 percent, indicating a rise in the popularity of recreational boating.

“The boating industry did really well in 2020,” says Bridget Trosin, Coastal Policy Specialist for the WSG. “What this means is it provides us with the opportunity to reach out and introduce many new boaters to our programs and tools this year.”

One such tool that’s now made available for Washington State Boaters through WSG’s efforts is the Pumpout Nav app, designed to help boaters locate nearly 200 pumpout and portable toilet dump stations throughout the state’s waterways. Easy to use right from the helm, at anchor, or even from home, the app was introduced to Washington State Boaters in August 2020 and was first developed by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and The Bay Foundation. It’s also currently in use by Clean Vessel Act programs in Oregon, New York, Vermont, and areas of Quebec, and lists all of the facilities available for boaters in those regions as well.

It’s compatible with iOS or Android platforms and a key highlight of the app is it automatically tracks a boat’s coordinates and displays the nearest sewage pumpout, dump station, and/or floating restrooms, and lists the operation status’. If the facilities can be used, a green marker will appear on its location and indicate if it’s operational. If it’s not available, the app will then display the nearest alternate facility. Boaters can also report if a facility is operational or non-operational, include detailed descriptions, and upload images.  

Since its introduction, Aaron Barnett, Boating Program Specialist for WSG, says that approximately 1,250 boaters in Washington State have so far become engaged in the app and it has the highest use among all of the participating states and regions.

“The app was something we have been planning to be a part of and was pushed back to August 2020 to increase our efforts a little earlier,” says Barnett. “It’s very interactive and easy to use. Boaters can also record how many gallons they pump out, log the location and date of the last pumpout they used, and better plan for pumping out waste is during a trip.”

(*Ed Note - Although the app is not yet available in Canada, Canadian boaters should visit www.pumpoutwashington.org/where-to-pumpout to find pumpout facilities when visiting Washington State waters.)

Some other features of the Pumpout Nav include:

  • The ability to save pumpout locations.
  • The function to report issues to marinas or other waterfront facilities to ensure continuous and proper operation.
  • The capability of displaying pumpout stations on a map or as a list. It also shows fees, hours of operation, and the exact location of the facilities within a marina or harbourfront.
  • Pumpout instructions
  • Regulations regarding sewage discharge for a region or state.
  • The ability to search specific facilities (i.e. pumpout stations, floating restrooms, portable toilet dump stations, etc.)

“It’s also particularly helpful for owners of boats with smaller holding tanks who need to dump waste more often,” added Trosin. “Plus, if a marina or facility is made aware that a pumpout is not operating properly, the WSG can provide an application for Clean Vessel Act funds or WSG can coordinate grant funding to assist the marina to repair the issues. So, there’s a management aspect to the app as well.”

More Research for 2021-2023

Plans are also in the works to launch a major research project in efforts to better determine the positive effects that pumpout stations have on water quality. The research is scheduled to begin this summer along the shores of Sucia Island, one of the most northern and popular boating destinations in the state.

“What we will be doing is taking water quality samples all summer and after a pumpout is installed on the island in October, we will then repeat the same study in summer 2022 and compare the water quality differences before and after a pumpout was installed,” explained Trosin. “Conducting research for Sucia Island has been our goal for a few years, so it will be exciting to work in the area,” says Trosin.

Trosin continued to explain this is the first time WSG will be able to fully measure the positive impacts of a pumpout and how it’s an important means of ensuring clean waterways. The WSG will also be working alongside the San Juan County Health Department and the Marine Resource Committee on the results. The project is expected to be completed in 2023.

In the interim, however, both Trosin and Barnett are hoping to get back to a normal schedule with their outreach efforts. Expect to see the team on Sucia Island – as well as select locations – this summer promoting its research efforts, best clean boating practices, and distributing its variety of tools to ensure cleaner waterways in Washington State.