Sneaking the Holding Tank Overboard

[BubbleHeadMd]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I remember the last time I was in San Diego being told that US Warships were exempted from using holding tanks.

Wonder if there is any truth to that?

Not sure where you got that but on my 11 years aboard U.S. submarines,(1991-2002) we NEVER discharged overboard inside "the line". Even in foreign countries where the law allowed, we requested pumpout. If sewege connection at the pier wasn't available, we paid tanker trucks to come and get it.

At some point during that time, we stopped discharging plastic waste as well, holding it onboard until landfall.

We NEVER pumped waste oil overboard either, saving it for the "doughnut" as we called it.

[GeoPowers]

Two simple points:

Discharge of untreated sewage into the coastal and inland waters of the United States has been illegal since 1972. (Ref Clean Water Act)

A single weekend boater discharging untreated sewage into the waters produces the same amount of bacterial pollution as 10,000 people whose sewage passes through a treatment plant. (Ref Cal. Dep’t. of Boating and Waterways, SHIPSHAPE SANITATION -- msds and pumpouts)


(Surface Navy didn't dischage overboard either- the CWA specifically applies.)

[daddle]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

...same amount of bacterial pollution as 10,000 people whose sewage passes through a treatment plant

Heh. Nice. Magic of multiplying by zeros. There is no bacteria in properly treated sewage. But cities produce millions of gallons of untreated muck. Motor oil, pet waste, toxins, pesticides, synthetic solids. And much untreated sewage leaks into waterways prior to treatment. Regulating pleasure boat waste makes no measurable health difference to the sea (excepting marinas). We're an easy target, that is all.

[daddle]

....this just in:

Tidy city dwellers dump 20000000 gallons of sewage into Biscayne Bay. There are perhaps 20000 boats in the area that would have holding tanks. That's a thousand gallons of holding tank pumping by each disgusting dirty boater just to the match the elites ashore.

(Google is my friend)

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

As a diver, if you're going to discharge into the harbors, all I ask is you at least do it at high tide so that the water gets flushed.

I know a first mate who mistakenly discharged. They were probably at least 10 miles off shore, but last diver was still on the line.

[sailorboy1]

Just a question; will those of you that make all the pollution statements of pumping into the bay etc still discharge into your holding tanks; and then wait till you are 3 miles out to pump it overboard when you are in a location with no regulations regarding this (like in a place where a holding tank isn't even required to be installed on the boat)?

[kb79]

it's all about population density. head out to the farallones, and the ammonia smell of bird sh$@ will knock you on your ass.

as an urban surfer, i can tell you that turds in the lineup are unappreciated (and not unheard of)

i grew up in alaska and wouldn't think twice about pumping overboard there - the bay area is a different story.

to hell with the regulations. just be considerate to those of us that may swimming around in your sewage and realize that ANY dense clustering of animals will generate fairly unpleasant smells.

[swagman]

Originally Posted by kb79

it's all about population density. head out to the farallones, and the ammonia smell of bird sh$@ will knock you on your ass.

as an urban surfer, i can tell you that turds in the lineup are unappreciated (and not unheard of)

i grew up in alaska and wouldn't think twice about pumping overboard there - the bay area is a different story.

to hell with the regulations. just be considerate to those of us that may swimming around in your sewage and realize that ANY dense clustering of animals will generate fairly unpleasant smells.

Amen to that one.

I've pumped out when it was absolutely required and not quite outside the limit - but I've also swam ashore and squooshed someones tideline turd between my toes.

Pretty sure it was not one of mine but probably someone up there just getting his own back.

JOHN

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by daddle

....this just in:

Tidy city dwellers dump 20000000 gallons of sewage into Biscayne Bay. There are perhaps 20000 boats in the area that would have holding tanks. That's a thousand gallons of holding tank pumping by each disgusting dirty boater just to the match the elites ashore.

(Google is my friend)

From the article: "...That night, Renz was nauseous and having hot and cold spells. By Monday morning, he was vomiting and had diarrhea.
Although Miami-Dade health officials had issued an advisory Saturday advising people to avoid swimming and recreational activities in bay areas from Oleta River State Park to Bal Harbour and Haulover Park, the word hadn't gotten out.
``There was no direct coordination between city officials and the hotels. I talked to so many people who had no idea,'' Bush said. ``I can imagine there are a lot of very sick people because the city didn't take some very simple preventive measures.''

Not something I'd want to swim in! But, I really don't see how this justifies direct discharge of sewage from boats. Two wrongs don't make a right.

I get your point (I think) that focus of pollution prevention should be elsewhere-to the biggest offenders, and not boaters. IMHO it should be focused everywhere.

It would be nice if effluent from WWTP's were 100% free of pathogens, but that is not the case for most municipalities. Still, as stewards of the environment we should do as much as we can, whenever we can. To include not being lazy and using pump-out facilities when available...

Playing more numbers: Assuming the 1 boater:10,000 persons of sewage through a treatment process is accurate (I haven't seen anyone show any to the contrary), and assuming this poll is representative of views of all the people on this website let's see the effect of Cruiser's Forum on the environment. One can take the 35,453 members of Cruiser's Forum, and conservatively use just the last two poll items equaling about 20% of the participants ("Whenever I think it's OK because no one will notice "and "regularly pump overboard"). This gives 35,453 x 0.2 x 10,000 or a country with a population of 70,906,000 that discharges treated sewage.

[David M]

Subs do have a way of discharging waste while submerged. Many ships when in port hook up a hose that connects directly to the city sewage system.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by David M

Subs do have a way of discharging waste while submerged. Many ships when in port hook up a hose that connects directly to the city sewage system.

yes we did, air pressue to blow the tank out

was important to not open the valve from the toleit to the holding tank during this.................or itblew up into your face instead

[David_Old_Jersey]

I keep mine in a box.

and when it's full I mail it to one of my favourite environmental NGOs. I figure they know best what to do with it. So they keep saying anyway.

If anyone wants on the list send me a PM

[beau]

Here in Australia we have really" smart" bureaucrats, they passed a LAW saying we all had to have macerators and holding tanks.
However there are few if any pump out facilities (they cost money apparantly) and the bureaucrats failled to realise the sewerage facilities can't handle salt water in there facilities.

We are now allowed to pump out at "sea".

[TrevC]

Using a holding tank is such a load of crap! Bypass the middleman!

[beau]

I just read the poll.
What a bunch of uninformed do-gooders.
What are the fish going to eat, if you put it in a holding tank and Sterilize it to make it really Nasty.

I suppose you still believe in Global warming too.