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Discharge of sewage from boats

By June 16, 2024September 16th, 2024In The News

As featured in MAST Boatwise, Winter 2024 Issue

The number of boats has significantly increased in the past 25 years, resulting in more people spending time on their boats. Boat owners are reminded of their responsibility to manage sewage discharge from their boats. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for enforcing the regulations related to boat sewage discharge. The EPA first issued a Directive in December 2013. This was re-issued on 11 June 2021 and is currently in effect.

Boat owners should check that their sewage discharge systems comply with the EPA’s Directives. If you are unsure whether your system meets the requirements, you can seek advice from one of the MAST BoatSafe Partners. You may also consider replacing your old pump-out toilet with a composting toilet. While many boats now have holding tanks, pump-out facilities are scarce. Margate Marina does have up-to-date pump-out facilities.

In summary, the EPA Directive states that boats with less than 16 people on board are allowed to discharge untreated sewage into the waterway, provided that the discharge of urine is not mixed with faeces, the sewage does not contain any visible floating solids and it does not cause any prolonged discolouration of the water.

In addition to this, Part 3 of the Sewage Management Directive states that vessels must NOT discharge sewage that is NOT disinfected in any of the following waters:

  • Any inland waters;
  • Any marina, designated mooring area or canal;
  • Any marine resources protected area established under the Living Marine Resources Act 1995;
  • Any waters less than 5 metres deep;
  • Within 500m of any operating shellfish farm;
  • The Tamar Estuary upstream of the Batman Bridge;
  • The Derwent Estuary upstream of the Bowen Bridge;
  • Payne Bay, north of a line between Curtis Point and Woody Point; James Kelly Basin, south and west of a line between Garden Point and Larsens Rocks; Bathurst Harbour and all bays and inlets therein, and Bathurst Channel and all bays and inlets therein, east of a line between Hammond Point and Forrester Point;
  • Macquarie Harbour, east of a line between Coal Head and Steadman Point;
  • Any other waters within 1 nautical mile (1,852 metres) of any land, including islands; and
  • Within 120m of a person in the water.

For more information on boat sewage discharge, including Boat Sewage Discharge Maps, visit the EPA website.

Let’s work together to ensure that our boats are compliant with regulations so that people who use our wonderful beaches around the state don’t have to swim in untreated sewage from your boat.

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