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Clean Water Act

Some of you may have heard that the law enforcement agencies on the lake have started to enforce the Clean Water Act. This will apply to every boat meeting the following criteria:

  1. any boat which has a permanently installed marine sanitation device;

  2. any boat longer than 26 feet in length which has permanent sleeping quarters; and

  3. any houseboat regardless of length.

Up until this point it has been unclear as to how to make boats that fit the above description compliant with the law. One of our tenants has taken it upon himself to do the research and has asked us to pass along the information.

In order to become compliant you will need to reconfigure your septic system so that you can not discharge waste overboard into the lake. In most cases, your boat will have what it referred to as a "Y-Valve" giving you the option to pump the contents of your holing tank overboard. Not only is this against the law but having the "Y-Valve" is too. It is up to the local law enforcement agencies to determine how strict they want to be with this. In order to be as user friendly as possible, the Texas Parks and Wild Life will expect to see the following modifications to your septic system in order to be compliant.

(The following information was taken from www.boathousetimes.com.)

Your current configuration probably looks something like Fig 1.
Installation figure 1

At least the RED hose leading from the holding tank to the macerator will need to me removed and caped (green) in some manner. Either by a PVC fitting or a rubber stopper and clamp. (see fig. 2) This, according to Dale Moses, ranger with the Texas Parks and Wildlife, will make you compliant.
Installation Figure 2
This should be sufficient but you may want to consider removing the pump (see fig. 3) as well. Even though Texas Parks and Wildlife sees this as compliant, other enforcing entities on the lake may not. I asked Mr. Moses if the other enforcing entities agencies with this configuration as being compliant and he said yes. Use your own discretion on this one.
Installation Figure 3

In short here is what you will need to do:

  1. Fill out the *"Application to Certify Boat Sewage Disposal Facilities" and send it in with your $15.00 to get your "Clean Water" decal. Be aware that even though you may have completed the "fix" to prevent any overboard discharge, without the decal you could still be fined!

  2. Find out if your boat provides a way for you to discharge your waste into the lake. (Do you have a Y-Valve on your holding tank?) If you don't, your in good shape. If you do you will need to reconfigure your holding tank as shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3.

I just knew there had to be an easier way. If you are interested in reviewing the law itself, you may read it here.

*This application was not available on any web site that I could find so I have created it myself using an original application as the template. Use at your own discretion.