PRESS RELEASE
Mayor Gavin Buckley
Public Information Office
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
City Harbormaster to Suspend Pump-Out Services
During State of Emergency
ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 18, 2020) – City of Annapolis Harbormaster Beth Bellis, in consultation with Annapolis Fire Department and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, has decided to suspend City pump-out service to boaters after Saturday.
The last pump-outs will occur on Saturday, March 21, 2020. The closure will continue through the City’s declared State of Emergency for COVID-19.
Schedule a pump-out by contacting VHF 17 or calling 410-263-7973.
it is illegal to discharge untreated waste effluent into Annapolis city waters.
Last fall, the City, along with Anne Arundel County, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to create a No Discharge Zone (NDZ) in all waters in the City and County that originate within its borders. The EPA’s decision to approve the petition is likely to come in late spring or early summer.
The suspension of the Harbormaster pump-out vessel simply means boaters will migrate to self-service stations at land-based marinas. The law requiring pump-outs stays in place.
Bellis said, “we are making the decision to suspend pump-out operations in the interests of staff safety and public health.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is currently unclear if novel coronavirus COVID-19 can be transmitted through sewerage systems. SARS, a similar coronavirus, has been detected in untreated sewage for up to 2 to 14 days.
Below is a link that lists Annapolis area pump-out stations, including self-service pump outs. Contact the marina directly before you go.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/Pages/pumpout/annapolis.asp