March 20, 2018
WHAT IS A NO DISCHARGE AREA
No Discharge Areas or NDA is a federally designated body of water where the discharge of both treated and untreated boat sewage is prohibited. Federal Law prohibits the discharge of untreated sewage from vessels within all navigable waters of the United States. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency also adds No Discharge Zones. It is quite simple to look at this from a perspective of sewage should not be washing ashore. I don’t think this would fare well with the beach goers eh? It is flat out irresponsible.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO
While in an NDA locking the door to the toilet with a padlock or door handle key lock is an acceptable method. Might you be thinking this sounds a little medieval. A better method would be to lock the switch for the ejectors. If that is not an option you may be able to lock the flush handle. On smaller recreational vessels one can use “Ye old five gallon bucket”. They make universal lids that fit a bucket that are made for this purpose. I know it might be a tough task to draw at the end of the day but do have a few ‘usage” rules. The reward is that you are doing your part.
ARE THERE “NO DISCHARGE AREAS” IN CONNECTICUT
Certainly Long Island Sound is entirely a No Discharge Zone. For the purpose of this blog, let’s see what each of our coastline neighbors have to say as well.
So Connecticut has the following No Discharge Areas:
Pawcatuck River, Little Narragansett Bay, portions of Fishers Island Sound and all of Stonington Harbor
Secondly New York includes these areas.
Long Island Sound including the open waters, harbors, bays, and navigable tributaries of the sound and a portion of the East River, from the Hell Gate Bridge in the west to the Northern bounds of the Block Island Sound in the east including Peconic Estuary and East Hampton, Mamaroneck Harbor, Huntington-Northport Bay Complex, Port Jefferson Complex, and Hudson River are all no discharge areas.
Finally Rhode Island simply states that inland waters fresh and salt, including their coastal areas, are all No Discharge Areas
Above all, be smart, be safe, and remember there are no egos when passengers’ lives are in your hands.
Please visit our Public Course Schedule to view all of the classes we have available for you. Zoom classes are now available. There has never been an easier way to get your Boating Certificate
Here is an Environmental Protection Agency link to No Discharge Zones in Connecticut: No-Discharge Zones (NDZs) by State | Vessels, Marinas and Ports | US EPA
