By Kris Stepenuck, Extension Leader (Email the author)
July 30, 2022
A free digital tool is available for recreational boaters on Lake Champlain and Lake George to help them locate the closest marina with pumpout services for the proper disposal of boat sewage.
The Pumpout Nav: Marina Pumpout Finder app is available for download from both the Android Play and iOS Apple stores. In addition to showing the locations of the marinas, it lists hours of operation, cost, and exact location of the pumpout or portable toilet dump station at each marina. The app also allows the user to log pumpouts, create a list of favorite sewage disposal stations, and report mechanical issues and non-functioning units.
Other features include instructions on how to use a pumpout station, access to the marinas' websites, and distance from the boater's location on the lake to the nearest pumpout facility. Boaters also can learn about the how and why to pump out along with the rules and regulations of recreational boat sewage disposal. The sewage pump-out locator app was developed by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership in collaboration with The Bay Foundation. Funding was provided by a Clean Vessel Act grant and administered by the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways through the federal Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.
Lake Champlain was the first water body outside of California to be included in the app. Its inclusion was thanks to a partnership between University of Vermont Extension, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and San Francisco Estuary Partnership.
To learn more, go to go.uvm.edu/pumpout.