Do boat toilets empty into the ocean?

Pumpout Services Federal law says that untreated sewage (even if it's been dosed with a deodorant product) can NOT be discharged in inland or coastal waters. This means the sewage from a portable toilet or a Type III holding tank can not be discharged unless you are in the ocean more than 3 miles offshore.



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To legally dispose of sewage boaters must either have an on-board treatment device (Type I or Type II MSD) or a holding tank (Type III MSD) to hold the waste and have it pumped out ashore. A No Discharge Zone (NDZ) further prohibits the discharge of treated boat sewage.

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Sea or river water is full of living organisms, like, algae, plankton, microscopic bacteria, etc. When these organisms go into the inlet pipe of a marine toilet they're starved of oxygen and light, so they die and decompose. That's the smell!

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Large cargo ships use ballast water to balance their weight and keep them stable during a voyage. Although it is essential for the safety of the ship, ballast water can be harmful to the marine environment as its discharge can release potentially invasive species into a new marine environment.

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Toilets on board cruise ships are connected to vacuum suction lines that direct the waste to marine sanitation farms onboard the ship. This siphons out the water from the waste, treats it until it's drinkable, then pumps it into the ocean.

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Federal law says that untreated sewage (even if it's been dosed with a deodorant product) can NOT be discharged in inland or coastal waters. This means the sewage from a portable toilet or a Type III holding tank can not be discharged unless you are in the ocean more than 3 miles offshore.

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In the sea, no. If a Coast Guard or other patrol sees you peeing off your boat they are not likely to issue any summons (unless you're hung like a porn star!). Peeing in a river is another matter.

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