Thank you to all the boaters who use the pumpout boats to keep the Barnegat Bay clean!
Ocean County is committed to working to preserve and improve the environmental health of its coastal waters and of the Barnegat Bay Estuary. The County recognizes the direct connection between the environmental well-being of the intercoastal waterways and the quality of life and economic vitality of the region.
This service is provided free of charge.
Download / Print Pumpout Info Rack Card
Visit our pumpout boat page on FaceBook to stay in touch: @pumpoutoceancounty
- This year, 2023, marks the 25th year of Ocean County’s successful pumpout boat program!
- The Ocean County Pumpout Boat Program has come full circle, so to speak, as the first pumpout boat in NJ, the Circle of Life, has now been retired after 25 years of charting a course of innovative pollution prevention in the Barnegat Bay.
- Since 1998, over 2.4 million gallons of concentrated effluent waste have been removed from the holding tanks and portable toilets of over 114,470 boats, that could otherwise have been directly discharged into the No-Discharge Zone intercoastal waters of Ocean County.
- The boats service recreational boats throughout the Barnegat Bay intercoastal, from the Manasquan River down to the Little Egg Harbor; they service busy congregating areas like Tices Shoal, and respond to requests in open water and in some marinas.
- The pumpout boats supplement a large number of land-based units now in service in Ocean County waters. Visit www.NJBoating.org for locations and more information.
- The Ocean County pumpout boats operate weekends from Memorial day through mid-October, typically from 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM, varying by region.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NO DIRECT SERVICE TO HOME DOCKS. The boats are limited by the cost of fuel and limited time, particularly with the loss of the Circle of Life. We appreciate your patience and cooperation.
How to Contact the Pumpout BoatsThe pumpout boats typically operate Memorial Day weekend through the mid-October, depending on weather and budget. During the summer peak, the boats are generally in service Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Labor Day, although days and hours of operation vary by operator. Contact the pumpout boats in your service area for more information.
The boats can be contacted by captains' cells or on the Marine VHF Radio Channel 9 by identifying the boat, its location and service requested. The boats may also be in operation on holidays and special events.
The pumpout boats usually develop a routine schedule and sometimes pumpouts can be reserved in advance.
<< Download and print the pumpout boat rack card.
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How to pump out your boat- Remove the cap from the boat's deck waste fitting.
- Insert pumpout hose nozzle into deck fitting.
- Turn pump on. If there is a hose valve, open it to start suction.
- When no waste is seen in "sight glass", close hose valve and remove nozzle from deck fitting.
- Put nozzle (with open valve) in bucket of water for 15 seconds to rinse hose.
- Rinse boat's tank with water and pump dry, if desired.
- Close valve and put away hose. Turn off pump and replace deck fitting cap.
FundingOf the seven pumpout boats currently operating in the State, the County provides the operational funds and administration for five vessels. The vessels were purchased by the County entirely with grants provided through the Clean Vessel Act Program with Federal and State funds, with the exception of the “Circle of Life,” which was purchased by Seaside Park with the assistance and support of the County. This funding ensures that the pumpout service is provided free of charge.
The County partners with other organizations, including the Ocean County Utilities Authority, which generously contributes half the operating costs annually. The County also participates on the NJ State Clean Vessel Act Advisory Committee and works with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, the Barnegat Bay Estuary Program and other partners towards the goal of a healthy Bay.New Jersey's Clean Vessel Act (CVA) ProgramEstablished in 1994, the New Jersey Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Program uses federal grants to fund 75 percent of the cost to install pumpout stations at marinas and public facilities along New Jersey's coastal waters. The remaining 25 percent is provided by the State of New Jersey through the "Shore to Please" license plate program. As a result of the CVA, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of pumpout stations available to area boaters over the last 10 years.
If a pumpout is installed under the CVA Program, it must be available to the general boating public for no more than $5 per pumpout, for at least 5 years. The program operates under the administration of the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, please call (609) 748-2056.
For more on the NJ Clean Vessel Act Program, all NJ pumpout boats, land-based pumpouts, ramps, and many more resources, visit the online interactive NJ Pumpout Guide at www.njboating.org. To confirm that a marina pumpout is operational, contact the marina or the Marine Trades Asociation of NJ.No Discharge ZonesIn June 2003, Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor Bay were designated federal No-Discharge Zones. While the release of untreated sewage is prohibited within three miles of the coast, it is illegal to discharge even treated effluent in No-Discharge Zones. In the Ocean County area, the Manasquan River, Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor Bay have been designated No Discharging Zones by the US EPA.
Pumpout facilities provide the most effective means for emptying holding tanks and are critical in No-Discharge Zones. About seventy-five marinas in Ocean County now maintain land-base pumpout stations for this purpose. A majority of these were installed as a result of grants from the NJ Clean Vessel Act Program.Partners
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