How to Empty Boat Sewer Waste

When sewage waste from a boat's toilets and sinks begins to build up, the cabin of the boat ends up smelling like a sewage plant. You can prevent this problem by taking the time to empty boat sewer waste. How often you have to empty boat sewer waste depends heavily on how many people are using your boat's facilities and how often.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Check the waterway laws of your area. Before you empty boat sewer waste via a macerator and through the hull, make sure it is legal in your area. Due to the bacteria in sewer waste and the dangers it poses, many US coastlines prohibit dumping boat sewer waste directly into the water.

2. Drive your boat out at least three miles off the nearest coastline. If it is legal in your area to dump sewer waste directly into the water, drive at least three miles off the nearest coastline.

3. Access the area of your boat that holds the macerator and holding tank. This is usually a simple process of removing the panel on the floor above the macerator and holding tank.

4. Turn the valve connected to macerator hose to switch the flow of direction for the sewer waste. This will switch the direction of the waste to the macerator instead of the pump out tower.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use the pump out station at your marina whenever possible. This is the only environmentally friendly way to rid your boat of sewer waste.
• Never dump sewer waste near the coast where people are swimming. It contaminates the water with dangerous bacteria like E. coli.

Who Can Help:

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Resources

• Learn the hazards dumping sewer waste at mfe.govt.nz.
• Learn about clean boating at coastal.ca.gov.