The Blue Ridge Health District’s Marina Program’s mission is to protect both public health and the environment through regulation, education, and inspection. Our primary focus is making sure that sewage from recreational boaters is disposed of properly, and that facilities for safe disposal are available and adequate. All marinas, regardless of size or number of boat moorings, shall provide pump-out facilities for pumping or removing sewage from boats.
The criteria for these wastewater disposal methods are outlined in the Marina Regulations in the Virginia Administrative Code. This program also provides pass-through grant funding to assist marinas in this effort via the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) and Boating Infrastructure (BIG) Grant funding through the Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW).
How are boating facilities categorized in the state of Virginia?
- Marina – Any facility operating under private or public ownership which provides dockage or moorage for boats and provides, for a fee, any equipment, supply or service (fuel, electricity, or water).
- Other places where boats are moored – Any facility operating under private or public ownership, which provides dockage or moorage for boats either for a fee or on a free basis.
- Under surveillance – This category includes public ramps and any facility, which could potentially expand and be place in the category of marina or other places where boats are moored.
What are the Virginia Department of Health’s regulatory responsibilities concerning boating facilities in the state?
The health department regulates the onshore sanitary facilities for boating establishments. This includes restrooms, sewage pump-out stations and sewage dump stations. See Sanitary Regulations for Marinas and Boat Moorings.
What is a sewage pump-out station, how does it work, and how should a broken pump-out stations be reported?
- A pump-out station is an apparatus that removes the sewage from a boat’s sewage holding tank and discharges the sewage to a wastewater collection system.
- The pump has a hose that is fitted with a nozzle. The pump-out hose nozzle is inserted into a fitting on the deck of the boat. The pump suction removes the sewage from the boat.
- Broken pump-out stations can be reported by visiting Link:
Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant – Environmental Health
What is a sewage dump station?
- A dump station is a facility designed to accept the contents of porta-potties.
- A marine sanitation device is required on all boats with onboard toilets. It treats and discharges or stores the vessel’s sewage.
Storing and Disposing of Wastewater from Boats
What are the different types of marine sanitation devices (MSD’s)?
- Type I – Treats sewage before discharging by macerating or chopping the solids and then adding chemicals. Must meet specific standards concerning bacteria content and may show no visible solids.
- Type II – Provides a higher level of treatment than a type I MSD. Treats sewage biologically and separates the solids for pump-out or incineration.
- Holding Tank – A holding tank does not allow for the discharge of sewage. The waste is contained until it can be properly disposed of at a sewage pump-out station. Holding tanks are fitted with a Y – valve which allows for the direct discharge of the contents when offshore the 3 nautical mile regulation.
Why is the discharge of boat sewage a problem?
Vessel sewage is much more concentrated than domestic sewage. Vessel sewage contains biological contaminants that can be harmful to humans. The chemicals used to treat vessel sewage can also pose an environmental and health risk.
Some potential health hazards include infectious hepatitis, diarrhea, and cholera.
A single discharge in a low flushing environment such as a marina can be detected for at least one square mile.
Sewage acts as a fertilizer in the marine environment, leading to uncontrolled alga growth and subsequent depletion of dissolved oxygen. Low levels of dissolved oxygen can lead to the death of fish and valuable marine plant life.
Shellfish beds, swimming areas and fishing areas may be closed because of sewage contamination.
What kind of wastewater can be dumped in the water from a boat?
Wastewater that is produced during bathing and in the galley.
Is it legal to discharge untreated sewage from Port-o-potties in Virginia waters?
It is illegal to discharge untreated sewage within three nautical miles of Virginia’s coast. Many boating facilities also prohibit the discharge of treated sewage at their facilities.
What is the Clean Vessel Act?
Congress passed the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) in 1992 to help reduce overboard sewage discharge by recreational boaters. The CVA provides funds to states for the renovation, construction and maintenance of pump-out stations and dump-stations. The CVA allocates portions of the grant money for education programs in the states receiving funds. In Virginia the CVA funds are managed by the Virginia Department of Health through it’s Marina Program.
Marina Pump Out Design Criteria
12VAC5-570-180. Pump-Out
Owners of other places where boats are moored that allow overnight docking or mooring of boats and owners of all marinas, regardless of size or number of slips, shall provide pump-out facilities for pumping or removing sewage from boats. These pump-out facilities shall include all the equipment, structures, and treatment or disposal facilities necessary to ultimately discharge or dispose of this boat sewage in an efficient and sanitary manner without causing an actual or potential public health hazard.
You can find more information on VDH regulations governing marina permitting and exemptions, more specific design and placement criteria HERE: Forms (12VAC5-570)
Marina Grant Programs
Boating Infrastructure Grant: BIG grants offer a broader range of uses of the two types of grants available. These are used for funding a variety of marina improvement and construction projects. There are two tiers of BIG grants which are classified according to cost and competitiveness. Virginia partners with the states of Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont as part of a cooperative regional agreement. Learn more here = Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program – Environmental Health
Clean Vessel Act Grant: CVA grants are more specific and are available to marinas primarily for sanitation improvements. Money obtained from these grants can be used to improve existing or construct new sewage pump-outs, dump stations, and sanitary waste facilities. Learn more here – Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant – Environmental Health
Completed BIG and CVA Projects: VDH has approved and overseen many projects that have utilized grant funds. These pages show a few of the marinas that have benefited from grant monies and VDH guidance. Learn more here Past Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Projects – Environmental Health
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/marina-program/frequently-asked-questions-marinas
DOWNLOADABLE APPLICATIONS AND FORMS
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/marina-program/downloadable-forms-and-links/