State Parks Invests $700K In Pumps & Floating Toilet For WA Boaters

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington State Parks has announced a $700,000 project to help local boaters dispose of their vessel sewage via new pumpout stations— and one floating restroom off the Key Peninsula.

The money will be distributed through grants from the state's Clean Vessel Act Grant Program. Organizers say it should help protect Puget Sound by helping boaters safely and legally dispose of waste, without dumping it in our beautiful waters. Under state law, Puget Sound and many of the adjoining waters are no-discharge zones for vessel sewage.

“Functional and well-placed public pumpout facilities are critical for boaters to safely and legally dispose of their vessel sewage” said Catherine Buchalski Smith, Clean Vessel Act Grant Program manager. “Boating is hugely popular in our Parks, and we are especially pleased to see our colleagues in State Parks working towards expanding sewage disposal facilities where they are needed most.”

According to an update from State Parks, projects funded by the grants include:

• $300,000 to Washington State Parks to install a floating restroom at Cutts Island State Park near Gig Harbor.
• $123,905 to the Port of Port Townsend to operate and maintain a pumpout vessel.
• Another $116,635 to the Port of Port Townsend for four dockside pumpouts and transfer pumps.
• $32,480 to the Tyee Marina in Tacoma to replace two stationary dockside pumpouts.
• $14,760 to the Port of Bremerton to replace a pump at the Port Orchard Marina.
• $11,845 to the Port of Poulsbo to replace its stationary dockside pumpout.
• $50,000 to the Port of Kingston, which will fund pumpout facilities for five years.
• $40,000 to West Sound Marina on Orcas Island, which will also fund pumpout facilities for five years.
• And $18,000 to the City of Chelan for another five years of annual operation and maintenance funding of pumpout facilities.

Boaters who want to learn more about the upcoming changes or find spots to safely dispose of their sewage can do so by visiting PumpoutWashington.org.