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Chapter 2 X Boating Law, Navigational Rules and Navigational Aids

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS State and federal laws are designed to keep waterways cleaner and pollution free. These laws apply to all recreational boats, no matter what size. Vessel Sewage (Human Waste) Though it’s against the law to dump untreated sewage into any navigable U.S. waters, some recreational boaters still discharge raw waste into coastal and inland waters. You might think that one person discharging human waste doesn’t cause a problem. But with almost one million boats registered in California, and more than four million recreational boaters on the state’s waterways, pollution from vessel sewage can be a huge problem. Untreated sewage discharged from boats can spread disease, contaminate shellfish beds, and lower oxygen levels in water. Exposure to sewage-polluted water can result in gastroenteritis, hepatitis, dysentery and cholera. State law also prohibits dumping any human waste (treated or untreated) in a marina, yacht harbor, fresh water lake, or fresh water impoundment from any vessel tied to any dock, slip or wharf that has toilet facilities available for the use of people on the vessel. The Coast Guard, a state or local peace officer who reasonably suspects that a vessel is discharging sewage in a prohibited area may board that vessel, if the owner or operator is aboard, to inspect the Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) for proper operation and place a dye tablet in the holding tank. The Coast Guard can issue fines of up to $2,000 for the illegal discharge of sewage. One of DBW’s goals is to eliminate overboard discharge of sewage through increased use of pumpout facilities, porta-potty dump stations and floating restrooms. You can help by: ƒ Never dumping raw sewage into California waters ƒ Using public toilets onshore before departing ƒ Using a pumpout facility to dispose of holding tank wastes. ƒ On small boats, using a porta-potty and dispose of wastes in an onshore dump station or toilet. ƒ Keeping the “Y” valve properly secured in the closed position when navigating inland waters or less than three miles offshore to prevent accidental discharge. ƒ Avoid holding tank disinfectants and deodorizers that contain chlorine compounds (including sodium hypochlorite), formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, ammonium compounds, glutaraldehyde, paradichlorobenzene, or antimicrobials (such as Dowicil or Bronopol).

WEBSITES For more information on marine sanitation devices and pumpout locations, scan the QR code or visit. dbw.ca.gov/Pumpouts

For information on boating clean and green, visit.

BoatingCleanandGreen.com Scan the QR code to download the free Pumpout Nav App for participating sewage pumpouts, dump stations and floating restrooms near you.

This logo identifies a sewage pumpout facility.

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California Course for Safe Boating