Vessel sewage pump-out station distributors gave demonstrations on how to use the facilities, because misuse can put a station out of commission. We also gave boaters practical tips on how to maintain the sewage holding tanks on their boats. The key is not to put anything into the tank that couldn t go through you. First, use vinegar to slough off built-up material. It s important to find out the sewage discharge policy for your home port and for any harbor you plan to visit.
Many harbors are no discharge zones and require all vessels to have holding tanks.
In general, the three nautical-mile rule applies to sewage discharges. That is, you must be three miles offshore before it s OK to empty the holding tank. Remember, this is just a rule of thumb. First, we knew that the Sea Grant Extension Program couldn t possibly reach everybody. Second, there are always a lot of new boaters, so even if we could teach everybody this year, there will be new boaters next year who need to be clued in about pollution prevention.