KeyWest City.com – Date of Record: September 23, 2010
The City of Key West on Wednesday took delivery of a brand new pumpout vessel, serving as a reminder that pumping out your liveaboard is easy, inexpensive, and a vital part of protecting our nearshore waters.
The state-of-the-art 26-foot Pumpout USA 26T-1000 vessel is paid for entirely with grant funding. Company owner Capt. Donnie Brown delivered the boat and, within hours, it was on duty helping collect the more than 3,000 gallons of wastewater pumped out every month.
The city provides the service to residents of the city mooring field and marinas, and the price is included in their rent. But the cost is nominal for visitors and anyone else living “on the hook.” City officials encourage everyone who lives aboard to take advantage of the service; it ensures the protection of near shore water quality and protects the city’s status as a Clean Marina facility.
The City of Key West has set an example for the state in establishing a no-discharge zone around the island more than a decade ago. Since then, city marinas at Key West Bight and Garrison Bight were proclaimed Clean Marina facilities by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.