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marine holding tank
What is the law?
In response to growing fears of the "death" of our nation's
bodies of water, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act of 1972
(amended in 1987). This law addresses a wide spectrum of water
pollution problems, including marine sewage from boats in navigable
U.S. waters including coastal waters from a distance of 3 miles
offshore. The law further provides for "no discharge"
by boats operated in enclosed lakes and reservoirs or in rivers
not capable of interstate navigation. States may apply to the
EPA to have certain other waters declared "no discharge zones"
if discharge of treated sewage would be harmful. In short, boats
with installed toilets must have an operable Coast Guard approved
MSD designed to either hold sewage for pumpout ashore or for discharge
in the ocean beyond the three mile limit, or to treat the sewage
to Federal standards prior to discharge.
Why should you act now to comply with this law?
First of all, it is the law! All boats built since 1977 with installed
toilets must have an operable approved type MSD. Since1980, all
boats (including those built before 1977) with installed toilets
must have an operable MSD. Nevertheless, boaters often bypass
these systems and discharge untreated sewage directly overboard.
If you flush your boat's toilet in violation of the law, you can
assume others do too.
The basis for arguments that boat sewage is "peanuts"
compared to other sources of pollution, that holding tanks "stink,"
that there's no place to pump out, and that the law isn't being
enforced anyway, is weakening fast in these changing times. These
facts are clear:
" Growth in boating is placing an additional environmental
on crowded recreational waters.
" Government and citizens' groups are working aggressively
to contain and prevent all forms of water pollution.
" Government grant money is funding a tremendous increase
in the number of pumpout facilities.
" Advancing technology has given a wide range of "user
friendly" sanitation system options.
 Please Contact Us to discuss your marine holding tank needs. You design it, we build it.
marine
holding tank
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