Those of us who use North Carolina's waters for boating can put those waters -- and the people who use them -- at risk if we don't dispose of our marine sewage properly.

The Division of Coastal Management (DCM) believes boaters should be able to get a sewage pumpout for your boat as easily as they can get other common boating services, such as fuel. So DCM is working to make pumpout and dump stations readily available through the Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program.

The program, established as a result of the federal Clean Vessel Act of 1992, provides financial assistance to marinas and other boat-docking facilities for the installation and renovation of pumpout and dump stations in North Carolina.

Using funding from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, DCM has made grants of up to $15,000 available on a yearly basis to private and commercial marinas, gas/service docks, fish houses/seafood dealers and other boat docking facilities in the 20 coastal counties. A 25 percent match is required of the marinas. A 25 percent match also is required of local governments installing pumpouts at public docks.

Since its establishment in 1995, the program has awarded more than $200,000 in grants for 47 pumpout projects, bringing the  total number of pumpout facilities available on the coast to 89.

Guidelines for pumpout grants (in PDF format)

Get a pumpout grant application: in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) or in Microsoft Word format (right-click on link to save file to your computer).
Don't have Acrobat Reader? Get it free here.