Coalition donates boat pumpout equipment to Marion for mobile service

A free, permanent boat pumpout service is coming to Cuttyhunk Harbor next summer, replacing the Coalition’s weekly pumpout service aboard the R/V Buzzards Baykeeper®. The Coalition has donated the pumpout equipment it no longer needs to the town of Marion to create a mobile pumpout service for boat owners around Sippican Harbor.

R/V Baykeeper in Cuttyhunk Harbor

From 2000 to 2016, the R/V Baykeeper offered free pumpouts to boats in Cuttyhunk Harbor twice a week in summer.

From 2000 to 2016, the Coalition operated a free mobile pumpout service in Cuttyhunk Harbor aboard the R/V Buzzards Baykeeper®. Now, with a permanent pumpout service starting there in June, the town of Marion will put the Baykeeper’s former equipment to good use.

The donation was perfect timing for Marion, whose pumpout system was recently vandalized. “This stuff isn’t cheap, so every little bit helps,” said Marion Harbormaster Isaac Perry. The Baykeeper equipment will also update some of Marion’s older pumpout equipment. Perry estimates the town services 1,000 boats per summer and pumps out 14,000 gallons of waste.

Buzzards Bay is a No Discharge Zone, which means it’s illegal for boats to discharge any waste. Boat sewage can contain harmful bacteria, viruses, nitrogen, and chemicals that, when released into the water, can harm the health of the Bay and people who swim, fish, and shellfish in our local waters.

Marion plans to use the donated equipment to create a trailered mobile pumpout system to supplement its existing pumpout boat service. This will help the harbormaster more easily reach boats that have already been taken out of the water late in the season. “Accessing [boats in the boatyard] with a pumpout boat is difficult,” said Perry. “Having the mobile capability would be perfect.”

Both the Coalition and Marion receive funding through the Clean Vessel Act to operate and maintain pumpout services for recreational boaters.

The new mobile pumpout service will be available to Marion boaters starting next fall. To arrange a pumpout in Marion during the 2018 season, contact the Harbormaster’s office at (508) 748-3515.

Category: On the Bay

Current Issues

Bacterial Contamination

Today, our beaches are cleaner and more shellfishing areas are open because less bacteria pollutes our waterways. But bacterial contamination is still a threat to many places around Buzzards Bay where people swim and shellfish.

Read More ›

Related Stories

Coalition members share 14 of their favorite places on Buzzards Bay

To kick off summer, our members shared 14 of their favorite places: harbors, beaches, trails, and all the other fantastic spots where people like you can discover Buzzards Bay summer long.

Full Story ›
Five good reasons to weigh anchor and experience the joy of sailing

Buzzards Bay happens to be one of the best places for sailing in North America, and that's just one reason to try it.

Full Story ›
Seventeen places to see (hear and smell) the signs of spring

The best way to celebrate the spring season is to get outside and savor the re-awakening that is taking place. You’ll find the signs of spring in the woodlands, wetlands, salt marshes, and waters of Buzzards Bay. Here’s a quick list of places you are most likely to spy hopeful signs of the warmer weather that is on its way as well as some pointers on what to look for.

Full Story ›

Working to Save Buzzards Bay

The Buzzards Bay Coalition is a membership-supported organization dedicated to improving the health of the Buzzards Bay ecosystem for all through education, conservation, research, and advocacy.

We work to protect clean water on the Bay and on the land: