Sewage & Other Discharge from Vessels

Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act), it is an offence to pollute any waters unless permitted under a licence issued by the Environment Protection Authority. NSW Maritime Authority officers can issue on-the-spot infringement notices of $750 to an individual, or $1500 to a corporation where cases of pollution from vessels are detected.

The POEO Act is complemented by the Marine Pollution Regulation 2006. This Regulation is designed to improve the management of sewage pollution from vessels and simplify the capacity requirements for sewage holding tanks. Specific provisions of this Regulation include:

• the discharge of untreated sewage from vessels into navigable waters is prohibited, except into a waste collection facility such as a pump-out or on-shore toilet;
• the discharge of treated sewage from vessels into certain environmentally sensitive waters (so-called 'no discharge zones') is prohibited;
• Class 1 (passenger carrying) and Class 4 (hire and drive) vessels are required to be fitted with toilets and toilet waste holding tanks or to have an approved plan of management for the disposal of waste;
• certain commercial vessels (essentially those built after January 1 2005 and used on the Murray River or Sydney Harbour, or those belonging to either the passenger carrying or hire and drive classes and built after that date) must be fitted with grey water tanks; and
• marinas operating on a commercial basis in the Sydney Harbour locality (regardless of size) are required to provide adequate and accessible vessel waste collection facilities.

No discharge zones

The above measures will help protect human health and sensitive marine life, taking into account the risks related to certain waterways, activities and vessel types. A key aspect of this risk-based approach is the designation of certain areas as 'no discharge zones'; for treated sewage. These include Sydney Harbour and its tributaries, all inland waterways, intermittently opening lagoons, Aquatic Reserves and Marine Parks, and all waters within 500 metres of aquaculture, bathing, mooring and anchoring areas, persons in the water, beaches and marinas.

Pump-out Facilities

The contents of vessel sewage and galley waste holding tanks must not be discharged into the water, but must be discharged at a pump-out facility.

Recreational Vessels

There are no specific requirements for recreational vessels. However, all vessel operators must ensure that they do not pollute. The Authority recommends the installation of holding tanks, but owners of smaller vessels can use a portable toilet instead. Planning your trip to take advantage of shore amenities is another way of preventing sewage from entering the waterways. A map of amenities adjacent to Sydney Harbour can be viewed here.

Further Information

A copy of the Marine Pollution Regulation can be found at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au.

See also the Frequently Asked Questions on sewage from vessels.