All District of Columbia yacht clubs and marinas, in partnership with the National Park Service, are celebrating that "boating is good clean fun" and ask you to help "keep it that way." Americans like to boat and recreate on clean waters. Protecting our water quality is up to each of us. Boaters are asked to look for and patronize those marinas that have won the District's

Clean Marina Award and the similar Maryland and Virginia Clean Marina Award recognition. Clean marinas help protect the water environment.

Washington DC's "Clean Marina Award" program recognizes marinas and yacht clubs for their efforts to comply with environmental regulations and protect District waters by reducing potential pollutants from entering our boating waters. Look for and patronize the Clean Marinas [see list marked with CM].

This website is part of the Clean Marina Program effort to help all boat users to use clean boating practices. While the largest amount of the water pollution and litter in District rivers comes from non-boating sources, all of us have shared responsibilities to be clean boaters.

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP PROTECT DC WATERS:

• Use onshore restrooms at the club/marina instead of your boat toilet. This is especially important for boaters who are visiting and/or staying overnight. Urge everyone to use the bathroom before leaving home.
• Take dogs to the marina/club's posted pet walk area (and always clean up after your dog).
• Empty portable toilets at pumpout stations, shore side dump stations, or at home.
• If your boat has a built in toilet, make sure it is U.S. Coast Guard-certified and is maintained in working condition following manufacturer's instructions.
• District law prohibits discharge of any treated/untreated sewage overboard. Beyond the District, untreated sewage can only legally go overboard into the Atlantic Ocean outside the 3-mile limit, never in the Chesapeake Bay or District rivers.
• If you have a MSD Type III with holding tank and your boat has a Y-valve and through-hull fitting, always keep them locked closed when inside the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. Opening Y-valve and through-hull is legal only beyond 3 miles offshore. It may be best to remove the Y-valve and through-hull so no sewage can ever go into the water.
• Use Pumpouts - Every marina and yacht club in the District has pumpout service available for boat holding tanks. If you keep a boat in a slip by the season, schedule regular pumpouts to keep your holding tank empty. Pumpouts are available for all boats at the following four marinas including the District's two public fuel docks: James Creek Marina [fuel], Gangplank Marina, Washington Marina Company, and Columbia Island Marina [fuel]. Pumpouts are available at yacht clubs by appointment only.
• Alert marina owner or club officers if their pumpout is not working or available at convenient times.