Marine Sanitation System

A decent marine sanitation system will make life aboard much more comfortable for all concerned. Many guys complain that their significant others don’t enjoy the boating life. Although a woman may not say it, the proper amenities may go a long way toward encouraging her aboard. In addition, a marine sanitation system is helpful to the environment and also a condition for qualifying your boat as a second home and obtaining the resulting income tax deductions for loan interest.

I once heard a health expert say that if you haven’t peed after being out on the water for more than three hours, you are in the beginning stages of dehydration and should immediately begin drinking fluids. That always begs the question of the ultimate result: where to do the deed. Old-timers always championed the “bucket and chuck it” approach, but that is pretty uncouth, especially in mixed company, and it’s now illegal in most places anyway. If you want to spend time on the water with your friends, some sort of sanitary system is highly desirable. In the United States, standards for marine sanitation systems are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and these standards are implemented through U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) regulations and enforced by the USCG as well as by state and local marine officers.

Marine sanitation devices (MSDs) are classified into three basic types:

• Type One MSDs treat the sewage and then discharge it overboard. The treated effluent must meet EPA standards for bacteria count and suspended solids. These MSDs are not legal for use in areas that have been declared no-discharge zones.
• Type Two MSDs are more powerful versions of Type One systems, typically found aboard larger vessels (over 65 feet) because of the amount of power required to operate them. These are also illegal to use in no-discharge zones.
• Type Three MSDs consist of a toilet connected to a holding tank. The sewage is held for later disposal at a pumpout station or offshore.

Basically it is illegal to dump sewage overboard on inland or coastal waters of the United States. Sewage can be pumped overboard if you are beyond the 3-mile coastal discharge limit. Some states impose further restrictions. For example, boats that are transiting Lake Champlain are required to have any overboard discharge lines disconnected from their through-hull fitting, or the boatowner will be fined. Simply locking the Y-valve to prevent overboard discharge does not suffice. The potty police check for overboard discharge by placing dye tablets in the toilet and having you flush it. If they see the dye in the water under the boat, you’ll pay the fine.

Systems can range from a simple Porta-Potti (considered a Type Three MSD) in a canvas enclosure to a full-blown system with a holding tank and electric head. If your boat didn’t come equipped with an MSD, consider adding one yourself.