Draft Pump Out Brochure (PDF)

Sewage discharged from boats is a source of pollution in the North and South Rivers. Boat sewage degrades water quality by introducing microorganisms, nutrients, and chemical products into the marine environment. Microorganisms may introduce diseases like hepatitis to people in contact with the water, and can contaminate shellfish beds. Nutrients use oxygen in the water and as a result, depressing oxygen levels as the sewage decays. Oxygen depletion or Hypoxia can stress fish and other aquatic animals. Chemical products can be toxic to marine and estuarine life and could pose a problem in areas where boats congregate and where there is little tidal flushing. Complying with vessel sewage discharge laws and regulations, and using pumpout facilities, are necessary step to protect public health, water quality, and the marine environment.

Suprisingly, boats that have Type I and Type II Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs) may discharge treated effluent in coastal waters UNLESS they are in a "No Discharge Area". A Type III marine sanitation device is the only type that can be used legally in a "No Discharge Area" since these devices only provide holding tanks and must use pump out facilities regardless of the designation. Type I and II MSDs typically grind up sewage and add chemicals to treat it and discharge through the hull.

The NSRWA is committed to promoting the federal designation of the North and South Rivers as a "No Discharge Area." This designation would mean that the discharge of sewage from boats, even if it is treated, would be prohibited in the North and South Rivers. One of the challenges that must be met in order to qualify for this designation is providing adequate facilities for boaters to "pump out" their boat sewage. Currently, there are some shoreside pump out facilities located in both the North and South Rivers and a pumpout boat in Scituate Harbor, but there does not seem to be adequate capacity to serve many of the boats that frequent our rivers. The NSRWA is currently working with the Urban Harbors Institute of UMass Boston to conduct a pumpout needs assessment for our region, to help us better understand the demand for facilities and the needs of those who operate them.

The NSRWA recently formed a working group of interested stakeholders to address this issue. Participants in the working group include harbormasters from the Towns of Scituate and Marshfield, local marina and boat operators, state representatives from the Coastal Zone Management, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Mass Bays Program and the NSWRA. This enthusiastic and committed group has met to discuss the funding and staffing issues that need to be overcome in order to provide adequate pump out facilities.

There is funding available from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, which administers a federal grant program that pays for pump out facilities, both shoreside and boat (mobile) pumpouts, as well as staff and maintenance costs. Applicants for these monies can either be towns or private interests, but they must own and operate the boat or shoreside facility, staff it and provide a 25% match in order to qualify for the program. For the towns, in this case Marshfield and Scituate, the hurdle is how to work in a cooperative venture on rivers that cross eaches town boundary.

In 2004, the NSRWA partnered with the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston to study pumpout facilities along the South Shore. The study was funded by the MA Office of Coastal Zone Management's Coastal Pollutant Remediation grant program. During the course of this study, 413 boaters, seven pumpout facility operators and a number of state and municipal officials either were interviewed or completed questionnaires focused on the boat sewage pumpout facilities along the South Shore of Massachusetts. In addition to providing much needed statistical data on the number and size of boats, where they were used, the frequency at which they were used, etc., this study provided insight into what boaters and marina operators knew about the environmental impacts of vessel sewage in the coastal environment. These data, along with a web search for other outreach efforts and a literature search on environmental education and outreach, were reviewed to assess what future outreach may be needed and the shape it should take. The NSRWA hopes to work with the communities and boat operators to help implement some of the recommendations that resulted from this analysis. 

Let's face it, the pumpout job isn't pretty, but somebody's got to do it! We will continue to update you as our work with this group progresses.

If you are interested in reading the full report, please contact Sara Grady at sara@nsrwa.org or 781-659-8168.