Enjoying the scenic horizon while out at sea, one must remember there is a hidden and imperative responsibility waiting to ruin the precious itinerary for which you have planned. If uncared for, this responsibility can grow, and expand, and build up until it explodes, literally OR figuratively, and cause a health issue from hell. This responsibility that every fisherman, boat enthusiast, and commercial cruise-line knows all too well is none other than…sewage disposal at sea. A sailboat, for instance, has certain serious regulations with which it must abide in order to maintain an environmental and even a fundamental social standing.The lawIn response to growing fears of the "death" of our nation's bodies of water, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act of 1972 (amended in 1987). This law addresses a wide spectrum of water pollution problems, including marine sewage from boats in navigable U.S. waters including coastal waters up to three miles offshore. The law further provides for "no discharge" by boats operated in enclosed lakes and reservoirs or in rivers not capable of interstate navigation. States may apply to the EPA to have certain other waters declared "no discharge zones" if discharge of treated sewage would be harmful. In short, boats with installed toilets must have an operable Coast Guard approved marine sanitation devices (MSDs) designed to either hold sewage for pump-out ashore or for discharge in the ocean beyond the three mile limit, or to treat the sewage to Federal standards prior to discharge. All boats built since 1977 with installed toilets must have an operable approved type I, II or III MSD. Since 1980, all boats (including those built before 1977) with installed toilets must have an operable MSD. Nevertheless, boaters often bypass these systems and discharge untreated sewage directly overboard. If you flush your boat's toilet in violation of the law, you can assume others do too. The arguments that...
