Keep our Waterways Healthy:
Tips for Cleaner Boating

If your boat has an installed toilet, by law it must also have a Coast Guard approved Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). Type I and II devices treat sewage so that it meets standards for discharge into the water. Type III devices are holding tanks. These tanks must have all pathways for overboard discharge blocked to avoid leaks and spills.

To keep sewage out of the water:

• In port, use shore side toilets.
  
• Maintain your Type I or II MSD well.
  
• To control odor in a Type III MSD, choose a fiberglass or metal tank and specially labeled sanitation hoses.
  
• Use enzyme-based products to control odor rather than chemicals. Pump and rinse the tank before switching from chemicals to enzymes.
  
• Portable toilets must be emptied ashore.
  
• Avoid products with quaternary ammonium compounds and formaldehyde. They can disrupt sewage treatment plants.
  
• When pumping out your MSD or portable toilet, follow the posted instructions and ask for help from the marina if you're unsure of the proper procedure.

Keep trash out of the water

Trash in the water is hazardous to fish, animals, and birds, and can do serious damage to your boat's propellers and engine intake systems.

In addition, it's against the law to throw plastic into any body of water.

To keep the waters you boat on clean and healthy:

• Keep your garbage can easily accessible on your boat and make sure it has a lid.
  
• Stow trash, especially paper and lightweight plastic like soda bottles, in a container so it doesn't accidentally blow overboard.
  
• Cigarette filters contain plastic. Don't drop butts overboard.
  
• Bring your trash home and dispose of it properly, including recycling what you can.
  
• Only dump fish scraps in deep water that is well flushed, use your marina's fish cleaning station, or save the scraps in a closed container to use as bait.
  
• Be careful with waste from products you use to maintain your boat. Check with your local Department of the Environment and find facilities where you can recycle oil and antifreeze and safely dispose of solvents and pesticides. To dispose of paint and varnish, allow it to dry out completely and dispose of properly.
  
• If your boat is 26' or longer, the law requires you to have a MARPOL (Marine Pollution) placard posted in a prominent spot on board. The placard lists the fines and sentences for illegal dumping.

It's easy to make a difference

You're the most important element in the fight to keep our waters clean, healthy, and beautiful. What you do makes a difference, so be a clean boater and encourage others to join you.

You spend a great deal of time taking care of your boat and that's important.

A well-maintained boat is essential for a great experience on the water. But there's another element that's just as important — the waters where you boat.

By following these suggestions, you can help make sure there is clean water for everyone to enjoy now and in the future.

Keep fuel and oil out of the water

Gas and oil damage water quality and kill plants and animals that make their homes in the water. In fact, gasoline contains the cancer-causing chemical benzene while oil contains zinc, sulfur, and phosphorus, all harmful to animal and human health.

• When fueling, fill tanks only to 90 percent of capacity. Fuel will warm and expand to fill the remaining space.
  
• Fill portable tanks on shore where spills are easier to clean up.
  
• Use oil-absorbing pads to catch small spills and drips.
  
• Keep your engine in tune and seals, gaskets, and hoses tight so oil doesn't accumulate in the bilge and get pumped overboard.
  
• Put oil-absorbent materials in your bilge and an oil-absorbent pad under your engine.
  
• Change your oil with care. Use a non-spill pump to draw crankcase oils through the dipstick tube and place a plastic bag over used filters before you remove them. Recycle the collected oil.
  
• Don't treat oily water with detergent or dispersants. It pollutes and makes the oil impossible to clean up. Using these substances can result in a fine of $25,000.
  
• Remember, discharging oil or oily water is illegal and you can be fined $10,000 or more.
  
• If you cause a spill, you must report it to the Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. If you do not report a spill, you can be fined. Spills must also be reported to your local Department of the Environment.

Sewage can be dangerous

Sewage released into the water causes pollution and poses a serious health hazard to people who swim in the water or eat contaminated shellfish.

Typhoid, hepatitis, cholera, and gastroenteritis can result from the release of sewage. In addition, the organisms in sewage use up the oxygen needed by fish and plants and cause heavy growth of algae which shuts out sunlight.