May 22, 2025

A mobile pumpout boat in Pierce County. Photo courtesy of Pierce County

With the boating season officially underway, it’s time for Washington boaters to brush up on their knowledge for leaving a healthy wake for all to enjoy. This includes being able to safely and effectively dispose of sewage from a boat’s holding tank.

With more options for pumping out — including more mobile pumpout boats — properly disposing of onboard waste is easier than ever.

As recreational boating continues to become more popular in the state, Washington State Parks’ Clean Vessel Act program (CVA) makes it a priority to meet the growing need for vessel sewage disposal options. The CVA program funds infrastructure and coordinates with ports and marinas as they add more mobile pumpout boats. The program also educates boaters on the importance of safe and legal sewage disposal through funding Pumpout Washington, an educational outreach initiative run by Washington Sea Grant (WSG). Pumpout Washington improves stewardship practices that protect the quality of local waterways.

“We know that most boaters really want to do the right thing in keeping our waters clean. Our goal is to make it as easy for them to do that as possible,” says Aaron Barnett, WSG boating program specialist.

In addition to being the right thing, pumping out while in Puget Sound is the law: as of 2018, Puget Sound is a No Discharge Zone (NDZ) for vessel sewage. The Washington Department of Ecology’s “Pump Out Don’t Dump Out” campaign make it easier for boaters to comply with the NDZ ruling, which established Puget Sound and certain adjoining waters as areas where boaters may not release treated or untreated sewage from Type I and Type II marine sanitation devices (MSDs).

Boaters have a lot of options these days. Mobile pumpouts are particularly popular because the pumpout boat comes right up to the user. Several mobile pumpout services have been added in the last few years, including a free pumpout boat in South Puget Sound.

“The South Sound Mobile Pumpout Program meets recreational boaters where they are and makes it safe and convenient to dispose of waste,” says Jeff Barney, a Pierce County watershed planner. “This free, grant funded service keeps an estimated 20,000 gallons of sewage out of Puget Sound annually, protecting shellfish beds and improving overall water quality.”

The Pumpout Nav app (available for both iOS and Android) makes it simple for boaters to locate one of the nearly 200 pumpout and dump stations throughout Washington, as well as hundreds of pumpout stations in California and Oregon. The app will soon also include the real-time locations of mobile pumpout boats.

Pumpout Washington distributes free pumpout adapters, which contain nozzle that can screw right into the pumpout deck fitting — rather than having to hold it in place — which helps keep sewage from spilling overboard. WSG can mail out the adapters upon request. Boaters can also drop in at the new WSG office location in Port Townsend at the Point Hudson Marina — one of the state’s boating hubs.

As the boating season gets underway, not only sewage spills, but also smaller oil spills from recreational boaters are a big contributor to water pollution. Up to 25 percent of oil spills are known to come from smaller vessels. The Washington Sea Grant Small Spills Prevention Program provides boaters with the knowledge and tools they need to report oil spills and stop oil pollution at the source, including a free Small Oil Spills Prevention fuel bib, an absorbent pad that fits snuggly on the fuel nozzle of a boat. The Small Spills Prevention Program is managed by Washington Sea Grant and Washington Department of Ecology.

Find a full list of mobile pumpout boats and pumpout stations on the Pumpout Washington website: pumpoutwashington.org.

For free boater pumpout materials contact Washington Sea Grant’s boating specialists Aaron Barnett at aaronb5@uw.edu, 206.616.8929 or Bridget Trosin at bemmett@uw.edu, or contact Ashley Seydel with Washington State Parks at ashley.seydel@parks.wa.gov.

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The CVA program is part of the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sportfish Restoration Fund from special taxes on recreational boats, fishing gear and boat fuel. In Washington the program is managed by Washington State Parks. Washington Sea Grant provides small oil spills bibs and pillows as well as pumpout adapter kits to individual boaters, marinas, yacht clubs or other organizations that serve recreational boaters.

Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Washington Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer.
wsg.uw.edu