Maine
No Discharge  Area  Guide
The State of Maine is committed to protecting public health and
the environment by working to eliminate bacterial contamination
in our surface waters. Designating "No Discharge Areas" (NDA)
where sewage discharges from boats are prohibited is a key part
of our strategy to address this problem.
    Maine has a number of new No Discharge Areas in addition to
Casco Bay, which was designated in 2006. No Discharge Areas
in Maine are as follows:

• Boothbay Region NDA includes all waters north of a line from
  Cape Newagen in Southportto Ocean Point in Boothbay including
  Linekin Bay and Townsend Gut.

• Casco Bay NDA includes all waters of Casco Bay.

• Kennebunk-Wells NDA includes all waters north of a line from
  Moody Point in Wells to Cape Arundel in Kennebunkport includ-
  ing the Webhannet and Kennebunk Rivers to head of navigation.

• Southern Mount Desert NDA includes all waters north of a
  line from Bass Harbor Head in Tremontto Bakers Island in
  Cranberry Isles and west of a line from Bakers Island to Otter
  Point in Mount Desert.

• West Penobscot Bay NDA includes all waters west of a line
  from Owls head to Northeast Point in Camden.

A NDA application is under development for the  "border waters,"
which include all coastal waters from the NH border to York Harbor,
including the Salmon Falls River to the head of navigation and
York  Harbor.
    Additional No Discharge Areas are being planned. When in
doubt, look for signs, consult a local marina or harbormaster, or
just use your holding tank.

The discharge of untreated sewage is a violation of federal and
state law. Please preserve Maine's beautiful waters by using your
holding tank.

Be sure to visit Maine's Certified Clean Boatyards and Marinas.


Health Protection

Sewage wastes  discharged from boats degrade water quality
by introducing disease-causing microorganisms, nutrients, and
chemicals into the marine environment.
Hypoxia can stress and even kill fish and other aquatic animals.

• Chemical products can be toxic to marine and estuarine life and
could pose a problem in areas where boats congregate and where
there is little tidal flushing.


What is a NDA?
A No Discharge Area is a designated body of water where the
discharge of treated and untreated boat sewage is prohibited (does
not include grey water). Under the federal Clean Water Act it is illegal
to discharge untreated (raw) sewage from  a vessel in US waters.


Marine Sanitation Devices (Boat Toilets)
Recreational boats are not required to be equipped with a toilet,
but if they are, the Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) must be Coast
Guard approved. The approved design requires the MSDs to hold
sewage for shore-based disposal or treat the sewage prior to
discharge. There are three types of MSDs:

• TYPE I: MSDs discharge treated effluent having a fecal coliform
  bacterial count not greater than 1,000 per 100 milliliters of water
  and no visible floating solids.

• TYPE II: MSDs discharge treated effluent having a fecal coliform
  bacterial count less than  200 per 100 milliliters and suspended
  solids not greater than 150 milligrams per liter.

• TYPE III: MSDs are devices designed to store sewage (usually
  with disinfectants and deodorants added) until it can be pumped
  out at a pump-out facility or discharged outside the territorial sea
  boundary of three miles from shore. These are also known as
  holding tanks.


Boat Waste in a No Discharge Area
When operating in No Discharge Area, Type I, Type II, and Type III
Marine Sanitation Devices cannot be discharged. In No Discharge
Areas, the US Coast Guard regulations state MSDs Type I, Type  II
and Type III must be secured to prevent discharge.
    A Type I, Type II, and Type III MDS must be secured when
operating in a No Discharge Area. This can be done by closing
the seacock and padlocking it, using a non-releasable wire tie, or
removing the seacock handle (with the seacock closed). Type I and
Type II can also be secured by locking the toilet door handle.

For More Information:
www.epa.gov/region01/eco/nodiscrg
Maine: www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docgrant/pumpout.htm
Clean Vessel Act: www.fws.gov/r5fedaid/
• Microorganisms, which include viruses and bacteria, may
introduce diseases like hepatitis and gastroenteritis to people in
contact with the water. Microorganisms may also contaminate
shellfish beds and cause beach closures.

• Nutrients are necessary for the growth of both microscopic and
larger plants (seaweeds and eelgrass). However, when nutrients
become too abundant they stimulate algae blooms which may lead
to the loss of eelgrass and depletion of oxygen in water (called hypoxia).
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                 United States
                 Environmental Protection
                 Agency
   Look for this CVA symbol
   to find pump-out facilities!
   Printed on tree free paper that is 100% recyclable.
                                          EPA 901-F-09-025

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