Piece by piece, section by section, our coasts and inland waterways are gradually turning red. It’s not a toxic red tide, just the map color of the Environmental Protection Agency’s designated no discharge zones.
These NDZs are becoming more numerous each year. A growing number of states have discovered that there are many financial and environmental benefits associated with cleaner waters. So, simply put, “black water” is definitely out, and that’s all there is to it.
As the name indicates, while in a no discharge zone a vessel may not discharge any kind of sewage at all, whether treated or untreated, into the waters. All of it must one way or another go to a shoreside plant for a far more thorough treatment than a vessel’s Type I or Type II system can provide. The states, in seeking NDZ designations for their waters (in whole or in part), must first satisfy the EPA that adequate facilities or services exist to meet the needs of all commercial and recreational vessels. That is accomplished by having a suitable number of shoreside connections to municipal sewer systems at docks and, usually, pump-out boats exist. Once satisfied, the EPA then grants NDZ status to the waters in question.
Larger commercial vessels are accustomed to being able to pump their treated wastewater over the side at will. These larger vessels generally find that facilities suitable to handle their needs are few and far between. As the patchwork quilt of NDZ waters keeps filling in, the logistics of compliance becomes tougher and tougher. Major infrastructure improvements will be needed if state governments expect this worthy endeavor to succeed.
For more information go to http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/vwd/ and see if any areas that your vessel transits are included. Keep in mind that to satisfy the authorities the overboard discharge valve must be closed and secured with a lock or non-reusable zip tie whenever you are in an NDZ.
