Capacity of holding tanks and water tanks

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Kim Klaka

........................

Our 350 litres (90 gallons?) water lasts 2 of us about 3 weeks; the secret to conserving fresh water is to not have a pressurised water system. If you have to pump it yourself you take a lot more care about using it.

We use our 200 gallons at an increased rate and deplete it in about one month with a presurized system and I really like your idea. I bet we could be more conservative if we were pumping manually! We're not often needing a month without a water source, but I can use this advice,- Thanks!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Captain-Avenger,

Well... "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but name calling will never hurt me."

Excuse me for telling it like it is for 99.9 percent of the boaters around the world. Please... continue to live in your pristine fantasyland.

You seem to be a bit dense. Stop writing for a while and start reading. Not only on this forum but on sanitation and health topics.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

Most cruising boats don't have a holding tank.........

I call BS. Document that statement.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I would suggest that those with the opposing opinions here recognize that we're speaking of a dynamic balance where organic wastes can be harmless or concentrated to a degree causing disease and eutrophication. People seem to ignore the continuum between. Some conditions can allow for little concern for holding tanks and pump outs, while others require measures to be taken. Those holding a fast unwavering opinion are not accounting for all the variables.

But you are counting on the boats never going into port or near beaches or residential property. Boats must do this to take on fuel and supplies and pickup or discharge crew and such.

Use the holding tank when in proximity to civilization and empty it offshore. How is that so hard for some folks to understand?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Fact: During periods of rainfall, most (as in nearly all) of the sewage from US cities flows directly into the oceans, rivers and lakes UNTREATED when the treatment plants become over loaded. People still go swimming afterwards, and.... no widespead human disease epidemics. Por que?

So... Even in Fantasyland, the sewage gets dumped into the waterways untreated, leaving the ocean biomass to do the job.

The problem with the Internet is, anyone can post something as "fact" even when it is not and that person cannot back up their statement.

FACT (actual fact):

1) Some, not "nearly all" sewage does overflow treatment plants and makes it to the rivers and ocean. When there is a problem or overload, people and equipment are dispatched to contain the sewage.

2) Authorities in the USA routinely test beaches for bacteria and close them when necessary. They also monitor shellfish areas and close them when the bacteria count gets too high.

If you want to write about the USA, it helps if you actually know about it. That's hard to do in your "fantasy land".

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Thats because your city or town does it for you. Where do your think your poo goes when you flush in Fantasyland? Who's being delusional?

Originally Posted by rwidman

The problem with the Internet is, anyone can post something as "fact" even when it is not and that person cannot back up their statement.

FACT (actual fact):

1) Some, not "nearly all" sewage does overflow treatment plants and makes it to the rivers and ocean. When there is a problem or overload, people and equipment are dispatched to contain the sewage.

2) Authorities in the USA routinely test beaches for bacteria and close them when necessary. They also monitor shellfish areas and close them when the bacteria count gets too high.

If you want to write about the USA, it helps if you actually know about it. That's hard to do in your "fantasy land".

Ladies, can we agree to disagree and move on, the world is a large and diverse place with a range of practices and beliefs.

[Kim Klaka]

This thread is starting to get a bit rabid, with some people extending their own experience to cover the entire world. Here is a story that might bring it all back down to earth:
Here in Australia we have a popular holiday island just off the coast. About 15 years ago I ended up on their Waste Management Committee for some obscure reason (I know little about management and even less about waste). I came into the job with fairly set views that discharge from yachts has an insignificant impact, especially compared with pollution from other sources. I was stopped in my tracks by some fairly simple data. The water quality in the bays was tested daily (I forget exactly what they measured, but I think one was related to e-coli). On the two big public holiday weekends the levels went way over the maximum acceptable under WHO guidelines in the two bays popular with boats. In contrast, the non-boat bays had low levels of contaminant. There were no land-based outfalls, and no commercial craft to speak of. The only possible source of the pollution was from pleasure craft. There is no tide, so no significant flushing of any bays. There were no pumpout facilities, and hardly anyone had holding tanks. Fast forward 15 years, it is compulsory to have a holding tank (or equivalent control of discharge) so most boats have holding tanks; we have finally got a couple of pumpout stations (we used to just dump it all when a few miles off); and water quality is now good.
Clearly this experience does not translate to all other parts of the world, but it is one example of holding tanks being effective in reducing pollution.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by rwidman

1) Some, not "nearly all" sewage does overflow treatment plants and makes it to the rivers and ocean. When there is a problem or overload, people and equipment are dispatched to contain the sewage.

I know where our sewage goes - I live in Victoria B.C. We have never treated our sewage before it enters the saltchuck - only screen it. There is no scientific evidence that this is bad for the environment. The natural flushing action of Juan De Fuca Straight moves it right along.

[Reefmagnet]

I was born and bred in Sydney and for many years before the outfalls were built a good proportion of the city's sewage was piped out basically right beside the cliff face at Maroubra. I remember as a kid the problem with "floaters" at Bondi Beach during strikes by the sewage plant workers. I'm guessing they stopped filtering and/or mashing before disposable when they went on strike.

I actually had a manager at a particular east coast marina tell me not too long ago that he didn't care if people pooped in his marina because it kept the fish well fed and happy. Gotta say I kind of rolled my eyes at that one but, having seen vids of those fish that eat hippo poop, it might just be plausible.

[Kenomac]

.

Originally Posted by rwidman

The problem with the Internet is, anyone can post something as "fact" even when it is not and that person cannot back up their statement.

FACT (actual fact):

1) When there is a problem or overload, people and equipment are dispatched to contain the sewage.

You actually believe that? When millions of gallons of raw sewage is released during a rain storm by the municipal treatment plant, the mystical sewage team is then dispatched to clean up the ocean?

Wow, that must cost billions... How does your town afford that?

It's common knowledge here that the sewage treatment plants all release raw sewage during a rainstorm, that's why you'll never see people in Massachusetts swimming along the Merrimack River downstream from a city. Fresh water of course, so pathogens are a problem.

Maybe the knowledge isn't so common where you live.

[rgscpat]

Interesting that two of the highest-profile sailing events during the next few years will be in Rio and Bermuda.

I hope the solo sailors peeing over the side are clipped in. How many bodies are recovered with zippers down?

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

We use our 200 gallons at an increased rate and deplete it in about one month with a presurized system and I really like your idea. I bet we could be more conservative if we were pumping manually! We're not often needing a month without a water source, but I can use this advice,- Thanks!

Yup, when i switched from a pressurized to a manual system my water consumption dropped by 2/3! It's nice to have pressure for showers, but for the galley it's so much nicer to have a foot pump. Less water use, and you can use both hands to do the dishes instead of using one to turn a tap on and off.

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I call BS. Document that statement.

I can't. Purely anecdotal based on boats that i've encountered here, in the Caribbean, Eastern and Central Pacific, North America and Europe (but not the med - i haven't been there yet). Only in North America have they been commonplace so far. I presume, judging from your aggressive rebuttal of the statement, that you have reliable evidence to the contrary?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

I can't. Purely anecdotal based on boats that i've encountered here, in the Caribbean, Eastern and Central Pacific, North America and Europe (but not the med - i haven't been there yet). Only in North America have they been commonplace so far. I presume, judging from your aggressive rebuttal of the statement, that you have reliable evidence to the contrary?

Every time I read a review of a boat, holding tank capacity is stated. Yes, I'm reading about boats sold in the USA so perhaps ones made for sale in third world countries don't have sewage storage or treatment options.

[Kenomac]

The last time I checked, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Greece and France along with the rest of Europe are considered Old World. The Americas are New World. Seems like some among us consider everyplace outside North America to be "Third World."