Tougher Laws Needed to Keep Ocean Clean

Re “Faulty Pump-Outs Are Blamed in Sewage Dumps,” Oct. 17:

As frustrated boat owners, we were pleased to see the problem of inoperative harbor boat pump-out stations recognized in your paper.

It is very discouraging to go from Avalon, Catalina Island, where the harbor patrol drops dye pellets in boaters’ heads (toilets) to make sure one does not accidentally pump any waste into the harbor

Though it is legal to empty boat holding tanks overboard when at least three miles from the coast, we try to avoid that so we don’t add to the partially treated sewage our cities are already pumping into the ocean from treatment plant outfalls just four miles out from our beaches.

However, the generally sad state of most pump-out stations in our marinas makes it difficult for concerned boaters to try to preserve our oceans and therefore, our beaches.

Perhaps we need a state-mandated requirement to keep these pump-out stations up to par at all times.

Speaking of pollution, what are the scores of freighters anchored just off our beaches doing with their sewage?

Dot and Jim Van Eimeren

Huntington Beach