Macerator Pump simply installed: Dumping of Sewage

[Regular Guy]

Hello to all,
I created a thread at Hunter Owners - Smaller Boats about putting a macerator pump directly, outside on the seacock on the holding tank's outlet flange.

Now it seems to be from interest to discuss at how many mile off shore sewage can be dumped. What do you say?

I did some digging: Here are the rules for dumping sewage by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have principal regulatory and standard-setting responsibilities).

Vessels with installed toilets have to be equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD), which is designed to prevent discharge of untreated sewage.
There are three types of MSDs; Type III means holding tanks, which store waste but do not treat them.
To prevent from accidental discharge the seacock has to be held closed or when ability to discharge is part of the vessel, the Y-valve has safely to be secured (as Dave said).
I don't know if a not electrically connected macerator pump on the pump-out flange would be considered as secure closed, but could easily be replace with the original lid.

Interesting here is that sewage can be dumped from vessels into the navigable waters of the United States, when treated prior to discharge, between 3 and 12 land-miles from shore. Sewage discharges must be treated by no less than maceration or chlorination; sewage discharges (untreated) beyond 12 miles from shore are unrestricted.

An installed maceration pump allows legally discharging the holding tank beyond 3 land miles!
Hart

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Interesting here is that sewage can be dumped from vessels into the navigable waters of the United States, when treated prior to discharge, between 3 and 12 land-miles from shore.

Sewage discharges must be treated by no less than maceration or chlorination; sewage discharges (untreated) beyond 12 miles from shore are unrestricted.

You've almost gotten the rules right, but not quite...

You only have to be at least 3 miles offshore (6-12 miles applies only on the Gulf side of the FL Keys) to discharge UNTREATED waste directly overboard from the toilet or dump a tank. [FONT=&quot]And btw, that doesn’t mean 3 miles from the nearest shore in a river, lake, bay or sound, it means in open ocean 3 miles from the nearest point on the whole North American. coastline or any of its offshore islands. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
There's nothing you can add to a tank to "treat" it...ONLY the discharge from USCG Certified Type I (legal on boats up to 66') or Type II (for boats 66'+) MSDs is considered treated.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]However, the "3 mile limit" only applies to UNTREATED waste. Except in waters that have been designated "no discharge," treated waste from a USCG Type I or II MSD can be legally discharged even within a foot of shore. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Where the discharge of treated sewage is allowed, the vessel must be equipped with, and use, a Coast Guard Certified Type I or II Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) which treats the waste to standards prescribed by law in the Code of Federal Regulations. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]No marine toilet (head), by itself, is a Coast Guard Certified Type I or II MSD. All Coast Guard Certified Type I and II MSDs are separate treatment devices. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot] The Raritan ElectroScan and PuraSan are the most popular Type I MSDs[/FONT]. Check 'em out here:
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]http://www.raritaneng.com/catagory-pages/waste-treatment/
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
In waters that are designated “no discharge” all vessels with toilet facilities must be equipped with a holding tank, and all toilet waste must flush only into it to be held for pumpout or discharge later at sea beyond the “3 mile limit.” However, “no discharge” only applies to toilet waste. “Gray water” (galley, bath and shower water) may legally be discharged overboard except where specifically prohibited; (Currently gray water discharge is prohibited in only a few inland lakes and in small specifically designated waters within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary where there are particularly fragile reefs.) [/FONT] [FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You'll find the applicable federal regs in 33 CFR 159.7 :

[/FONT]
§159.7 Requirements for vessel operators.

(a) No person may operate any vessel equipped with installed toilet facilities unless it is equipped with:
(1) An operable Type II or III device that has a label on it under §159.16 or that is certified under §159.12 or §159.12a; or
(2) An operable Type I device that has a label on it under §159.16 or that is certified under §159.12, if the vessel is 19.7 meters (65 feet) or less in length.
(b) When operating a vessel on a body of water where the discharge of treated or untreated sewage is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 140.3 or 140.4, the operator must secure each Type I or Type II device in a manner which prevents discharge of treated or untreated sewage. Acceptable methods of securing the device include—
(1) Closing the seacock and removing the handle;
(2) Padlocking the seacock in the closed position;
(3) Using a non-releasable wire-tie to hold the seacock in the closed position; or
(4) Locking the door to the space enclosing the toilets with a padlock or door handle key lock.
(c) When operating a vessel on a body of water where the discharge of untreated sewage is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 140.3, the operator must secure each Type III device in a manner which prevents discharge of sewage. Acceptable methods of securing the device include—
(1) Closing each valve leading to an overboard discharge and removing the handle;
(2) Padlocking each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position; or
(3) Using a non-releasable wire-tie to hold each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Hart,

This lady knows what she is talking about and you can take her advice to the bank. Thank you Peggy for responding.

Peggy, Give Jim Seamans a call. Send me a private email.

Dave Condon