Regulations for toilet holding tank

[GordMay]

U.S. law provides two means for dealing with sewage waste on boats.
Type I and Type II MSDs treat sewage and discharge the treated waste overboard. Type III MSDs are holding tanks that are designed to prevent any discharge, and the waste is retained until it is transferred to shore side pump out and treatment facilities.

Marine Sanitary Device Efficacy:
The U.S. EPA promulgated the current performance standards for MSDs in January 1976 (Clean Water Act or CWA).
At that time, the standards for Type I MSDs (required for vessels 65 feet or less) were;
- 1000 fecal coliform per 100 milliliters and no visible floating solids,

and for Type II MSDs (required for vessels over 65 feet) are:
~ 200 fecal coliform per 100 ml and suspended solids less than or equal to 150mg/l.

[senormechanico]

"Our **** is something elses food. Mammalian waste is very important to the ecology, also can be un-balancing in abnormal quanity."

Exactly! Take a dump in a Mexico anchorage and a pufferfish will scarf it up in a second.

Steve B.

[senormechanico]

12-10-2006, 21:28 #28 Louis Riel vbmenu_register("postmenu_47689", true);
Registered User

Profile: Posts: 161

Holding tanks
Canada's new right wing loony tune government has just proposed regulations that would make it illlegal to dump a marine head anywhere in BC waters inside a line 15 miles outside the west coast of Vancouver Island or the Queen Charlottes, while simply studying the discharge of huge amounts of raw sewage by Vancouver and Victoria.He is oiffering anyone who doesn't want to do the return trip , often hundreds of miles in stormy weather , ten years in the slammer or a ten thousand dollar fine.
Perhaps its time for cruisers to start mailing their discharges to conservative members of parliament , or dumping it thru the mail slots of their consituency offices to give them a sample of protests to come.
Brent
__________________
Louis Riel
====================

And you think I'm off the tracks...
Steve B.

[Brent Swain]

When I asked the Canadian Coastguard how they get around the Canadian Charter of Rights , in the consitution's ban against unreasonable search and siezure,when attempting to enforce holding tank laws, they said "Holding tank laws are completely unenforceable in Canada."
Brent

[senormechanico]

Proposed Sewage Regs to Become Law
Though not written into Canadian law at press time, Transport Canadas Proposed Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals has been finalized to become part of the new Canada Shipping Act. While it encompasses a wide range of pollution regulations aimed mainly at large commercial ships, several sections affect recreational boaters.
As originally proposed, the regulations would have made it illegal to discharge heads or holding tanks virtually anywhere in B.C.s coastal waters except at designated sewage pump-out stations. Such regulations would have been virtually impossible for anyone to comply, as few pump-out stations are available in the most-frequented cruising grounds, and in vast areas of coastal B.C. they are nonexistent. As well, an onerous system of sewage discharge record keeping was proposed.
When recreational boaters became aware of the proposed regulations, theyalong with groups such as the BC Marine Trades Association, the Council of BC Yacht Clubs and the Recreational Boating Association of Washingtoneither lobbied or wrote Transport Canada, urging the proposed regulations be changed to reflect the realities of boating in our coastal waters. Their efforts resulted in a new draft of the regulations.


The requirement for record keeping has been dropped from the proposed regulations.

All vessels with heads shall be fitted with a marine sanitation device (MSD), to treat sewage, or a holding tank. However, a vesselmay be fitted with facilities for the temporary storage of sewage (i.e. a porta-potty).

NOTE: Former no discharge areas are now referred to as Designated Sewage Areas.

129. (1) The discharge of sewage is authorized:
(a) If outside a Designated Sewage Area, the effluent passes through a MSD and the effluent has a fecal coliform count equal to or less than 250/100 mL,
(b) If in a designated sewage area, the effluent passes through a MSD and the effluent has a fecal coliform count that is equal to or less than 14/100 mL
(e) If not in Inland Waters or Designated Sewage Areas and
(i) If the sewage is comminuted and disinfected using a MSD and the discharge is made at least a nautical mile from shore
(ii) If not using a MSD and if the discharge is made at a distance of at least three (3) nautical miles from shoreat the vessels fastest practicable speed, or
(iii) If not possible to comply as above, because the vessel is in waters that are less than six (6) miles from shore to shore, discharge can be made while the ship is enroute at a speed of at least four (4) knots or, if not practicable at that speed, the fastest practicable speed
(A) into the deepest water located the farthest from shore during an ebb tide, or
(B) into the deepest and fastest moving waters located the farthest from shore.
(4) In the case of a ship in waters that are less than six (6) miles from shore to shore, the discharge is not authorized if a reception facility is available to receive the sewage.

For more information, contact Transport Canada via its website, Transport Canada - Transports Canada <http://www.tc.gc.ca> .

[GordMay]

Thanks for the information senormechanico; which might have been better presented as a link to the copyrighted article, and (perhaps) a short introductory quotation.
I'm certain you didn't intend to plagiarize Mr. Robson.

”Proposed Sewage Regs to Become Law” ~ Written by Peter A. Robson
Pacific Yachting (May 1/07)
http://www.pacificyachting.com/index...184&Itemid=105

[senormechanico]

Gord,

I got the above in an email from my cruising club. Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.

Steve B.

[Boracay]

I am at the stage in my fit out where I have to fit a holding tank. Composting toilets seem to be just too much trouble.

The arrangement that I like has all of the sewerage going into the holding tank. The tank then can be emptied at regular intervals.

If I have read our current regulations correctly I can dispose of sewerage at sea if I am not in enclosed waters (ie lagoon) and I am more than 500m from warves, moored boats etc.

So I need to have a holding tank that can be emptied by pumpout or by overboard discharge. Current thought is a polyproplylene tank from Atlas Tanks with a 10mm wall thickness.

At the moment I am planning to do overboard discharge through a macerator pump.

It sounds like it is a good idea to fit two vents.

The holding tank that I am planning to fit is of 200 litres and is above the water line, sitting just below the deck.

My question is about the pump out. Do pump outs work by sucking the sewerage using an airtight fitting on the deck or by putting a probe down into the tank?

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

[senormechanico]

The ones in Washington State USA use suction (when they work).

Steve B.

[Boracay]

My tank supplier has indicated that normal outlet to a pumpout is via a pick up "straw" to a 1 1/2" deck outlet, with a camlock fitting inserted into the deck outlet.

Would this be the normal setup in most parts of the world?

[GordMay]

The North American & British standard for a deck fitting for pumpout is 1&#189;" inside diameter pipe thread - but my Canadian-built C&C had a 35mm deck fitting. Finding an adapter was a bear!

The male hose barbs are all 1&#189;". The deck fitting should not have a chain linking the cap, (you can't connect a pumpout with a chain in the way), and should be clearly marked 'Waste." Although the best quality deck plates are cast stainless steel with stainless steel caps, colour coded plastic caps, blue for water, red for fuel and black for sewage are quite suitable and are far less likely to mistake one deck plate for another.

[GordMay]

LEESAN Marine Sanitation Database ~ Lee Sanitation
Leesan Knowledge Base

Including:
Pumpout connections: http://www.leesan.com/bundles/ancillary_lr.pdf
Deck Fittings: http://www.leesan.com/bundles/deck_fittings_lr.pdf

and much, much more ...

[gonesail]

i live on a tidal creek that flows into the intracoastal waterway and eventually the atlantic ocean. 2 years ago the city experienced a broken pipe that leaked MILLIONS of gallons of raw sewage into this creek. there was no outcry from the toilet police ... it was just business as usual. makes me wonder how many sewage leaks like this happen that never get reported?

[Pblais]

makes me wonder how many sewage leaks like this happen that never get reported?

Lots. There is still a major program to separate storm sewers from sanitary sewers. When it rains the treatment plants can't process all the waste. There are more large cities that are still setup this way than you might think.

Boats are an easily identified point of pollution that can be generally easy to police and few non boaters think boaters should be exempt so guess what? When it is the least that can be done then it becomes the most important thing to be done.

Stopping boaters from peeing in the water is easier than cleaning up a municipal treatment system, it effects fewer people, non boating tax payers don't have to pay for it, and it sounds good. In the world of politics caring about clean water is almost as good as actually cleaning it up. It's the compromise.

[Capct]

iii) If not possible to comply as above, because the vessel is in waters that are less than six (6) miles from shore to shore, discharge can be made while the ship is enroute at a speed of at least four (4) knots or, if not practicable at that speed, the fastest practicable speed
(A) into the deepest water located the farthest from shore during an ebb tide, or
(B) into the deepest and fastest moving waters located the farthest from shore.
(4) In the case of a ship in waters that are less than six (6) miles from shore to shore, the discharge is not authorized if a reception facility is available to receive the sewage.


This essentially suggests that 'if' you can't comply go ahead and pump out in the deepest fastest water you can find from shore while moving and at least six miles from a pumpout....silly buggers