Pumping up a new record: 10 million gallons of sewage diverted from Washington waters in 2016

Terry Durfee pumps out a bilge on Lake Washington.

In 2016, the Washington Clean Vessel Act, a joint project of Washington State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Washington Sea Grant, helped divert a record 10 million gallons of raw sewage from Puget Sound, Lake Washington and other state waterways that previously would have been dumped into vulnerable waters.

Instead it was collected for safe onshore treatment. This diversion is largely a result of training, outreach and federal funds provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife for the Pumpout Washington program, a branch of the Clean Vessel Act that provides outreach and education to boaters and boater organizations.

This summer, the team hopes to expand services to waterways that are more remote and with heavier boating traffic.

UW-based Washington Sea Grant redesigned a hands-free, spill-free pump out adapter kit to make it easier for boaters to use pump out facilities without making a mess. Throughout 2016, Washington State Parks and Washington Sea Grant distributed 2,000 of the free adapter kits at 50 marinas and raised awareness of best practices among Washington boaters at boat shows, festivals, yacht clubs and through a partnership with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.