You are allowed to have a Y valve on the Great Lakes. It just has to be mechanically fastened in the " no discharge" position, ie: bolted, pad locked.In illinois the Y-valves must be permanently sealed which does not allow sewage dump at anytime. What about Florida?
In illinois the Y-valves must be permanently sealed which does not allow sewage dump at anytime. What about Florida?
(c) When operating a vessel on a body of water where the discharge of untreated sewage is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency under 40 CFR 140.3, the operator must secure each Type III device in a manner which prevents discharge of sewage. Acceptable methods of securing the device include -
(1) Closing each valve leading to an overboard discharge and removing the handle;
(2) Padlocking each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position; or
(3) Using a non-releasable wire-tie to hold each valve leading to an overboard discharge in the closed position.
The law was written before there were key switch macerators and hasn't been updated since. The USCG accepts 'em. But that doesn't mean you can't run into a "local yokel" with an advanced case of Barney Fife syndrome...they're rare, but do exist.
Apparently your tank has two discharge fittings--one to the deck pumpout fitting, the other to the macerator--and your thru-hull above waterline. In systems that discharge below waterline, it's not only any y-valve that must be secured, the seacock must be too. Plastic tie wraps are acceptable on both.
It's illegal to discharge a toilet or dump a tank in all INLAND US waters and the Great Lakes. Illinois is inland, and while federal law doesn't prohibit y-valves, any state can do so. NY even goes so far as to ban any overboard discharge plumbing on Lake Champlain.
It's illegal to discharge a toilet or dump a tank in all INLAND US waters and the Great Lakes. Illinois is inland, and while federal law doesn't prohibit y-valves, any state can do so. NY even goes so far as to ban any overboard discharge plumbing on Lake Champlain.
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I believe VT has the same regulation. Any overboard plumbing must must be completely disconnected. (Paper mills and municipal sewage plants are directly connected.)
In some places it might be a 15 mile run to the only working pumpout and a $20 charge when you get there as opposed to a 3 mile dash outside the close by inlet.Canada, too, allows no connection between the holding tank and the waters beneath the boat. Since we plan to do the mini-loop this summer in NY, VT and Canadian waters, and my holding tank plumbing looks lousy, ripping out all the offending bits and pump will happen this spring. The seacock will remain, I think left open so that it drains when the boat's pulled, and plumbed with a cap.
I can hardly imagine tootling out to sea to empty the holding tank just to save $5.
Greetings,
Mr. cal. Is that a rhetorical question or do you have a porpoise for asking?
Just wondering, what does a pod of 30, 300lb dolphin do with there poop?
I can hardly imagine tootling out to sea to empty the holding tank just to save $5.