Marina Resources

Keep Our Water Clean

More than 350,000 boaters use North Carolina’s waterways, and their numbers both commercial and recreational are increasing each year.

Clean water is important to all of us. Yet many of us who depend on water for our activities are sources of water pollution. People throw trash over the sides of boats, they spill gasoline while refueling, and they dump boat sewage into the water.

Polluted water is a health risk, and it can wreck a water-based economy. We need to protect our Inland water from pollution. One way is to properly dispose of sewage from work boats and pleasure craft.

Untreated marine sewage poses risks to public health and the environment and some chemicals used to treat sewage can be toxic to marine life.

You can help keep our waters clean, whether you own a large fishing boat with onboard toilets or whether you own a small sailboat with a port-a-potty. Don’t dump your waste into the water. Use pumpout and dump stations instead.

Why is marine sewage a problem?

Marine sewage poses a number of threats to public health and the environment.

Health risks
When you pump or dump marine sewage directly into the water, you can introduce disease-carrying microorganisms into that water. The bacteria and viruses found in raw or partially treated sewage can cause diseases such as gastroenteritis, hepatitis, typhoid and cholera. You may be at risk for these diseases if you swim in waters contaminated by marine sewage. Disease-causing organisms in the water can build up in the bodies of shellfish. You may at risk if you eat raw or partially cooked shellfish from sewage-contaminated waters.

Environmental hazards
Marine sewage can cause a host of problems for water and marine life:

Sewage and Oxygen: Sewage in water decays. As bacteria and other microorganisms in water break sewage down, they use up oxygen. That's oxygen that fish and other marine life need to breathe.
Nutrients: Marine sewage is high in nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The nutrients can cause algal blooms -- large, fast-growing colonies of floating algae. These blooms can block light from other plants growing on the bottom. Once the nutrients that support the blooms are used up, the algae begins to die. As the algae decays, it uses up oxygen, reducing that available for fish and other marine life. 
Sewage Chemicals: Many boaters use chemical additives, such as chlorine and formaldehyde, to disinfect or control sewage odors on board. Most chemicals on the market today are biodegradable and are believed to be safe if used as directed by the manufacturer. But if you use the wrong type of additives or use more than recommended, those chemicals can be toxic to marine life.

Where is the risk greatest?
Problems associated with marine sewage are greatest in enclosed marinas and harbors, or other areas where water circulation is poor. Without good circulation, marine sewage is not dispersed and dissipated quickly. This allows sewage to build up and remain in an area for long periods of time. The larger the amount of sewage and the longer it is present, the greater a threat it is to human health and the environment.

As a marina operator, there are a number of things you can do to protect the waters you depend on for your livelihood:

Install pump-out and dump station facilities on your own, with nearby marinas or through the Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program. 
Establish and enforce a locked head policy.
If you have pumpout or dump stations, post a standardized sign. Signs are available free from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
Maintain your pumpout or dump stations in good working order.
Encourage boaters to use pumpouts and dump stations. Give boaters information on marine sewage. 
Participate in surveys on pumpouts, dump stations and marine sewage. 
For more information on Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program, contact the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (Clean Vessel Act).
For additional ideas on how your marina can help protect water quality, check out our manuals on Best Management Practices for NC Marinas (PDF).
Use best management practices for pressure washing boats (PDF).

ATTENTION MARINA OWNERS AND OPERATORS WITH UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS: 

Be aware that your facility needs trained operators. For more information visit this website.

UST Operator Training
The Federal Energy Policy Act enacted by Congress in 2005 mandated training for all UST system operators. North Carolina’s operator training requirements are located in NC General Statute 143-215.94NN through TT (PDF) and identify two types of operators who must receive training: a Primary Operator (Class A/B) and an Emergency Response Operator (Class C). By August 2012, all facilities with UST systems permitted through the Division of Waste Management must have trained Primary and Emergency Response Operators.

It is the responsibility of UST owners to designate a Primary Operator for each UST facility. The person designated as the Primary Operator should be an individual who is responsible for the day-to-day aspects of operating, maintaining, and recordkeeping, and has a general knowledge of the UST compliance requirements listed in 15A NCAC 2N, Criteria and Standards Applicable to Underground Storage Tanks.

North Carolina’s training for Primary Operators is conducted at each UST facility during a regular compliance inspection. The UST inspector for the county where the facility is located will contact the UST owner to schedule to schedule that inspection. If a facility is in compliance and its Primary operator can score 75% or better on the on-site written assessment, than a training certificate will be issued. If the Primary Operator cannot successfully complete the training or the facility is not in compliance, then retraining at Tank School will be required. Information regarding Tank School is mailed to the UST owner of any facility that requires retraining after the compliance inspection. 

For more information visit this website: https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management/underground-sto…