http://www.app.com/article/20100616/NEWS/6160328/Ocean-County-pumpout-boat-unveiled
Ocean County pumpout boat
unveiled
By PAULA SCULLY • STAFF WRITER • June 16,
2010
TUCKERTON - Ocean County's fifth pumpout boat,
named the Bay Sweeper, was unveiled Monday at T
uckerton Seaport, where it is berthed.
The pumpout boat service of effluent is free to
recreational boaters, said Freeholder Joe Vicari,
liaison to the pumpout boat program.
"In a difficult economy, we want people to know the
pumpout boat service is free, totally free of charge,"
Vicari said. "When they're worrying all over the
United States about water quality or how to fix a
problem, we already have this in place."
The Bay Sweeper covers both sides of the bay north
of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, from
Waretown to Barnegat Inlet.
The Waste Watcher II, another pumpout boat already
operating from Tuckerton Seaport, covers the bay
south of the bridge to Holgate, including Little Egg
Harbor Bay area and Great Bay. Dick Goulday and
George Ward are the captains of the seaport's two
pumpout boats.
4 - through the end of September. Depending on
the budget, the boats may operate until sometime
around Columbus Day.
The $62,100 Bay Sweeper was bought by the county
with grants provided by the Clean Vessel Act
program with federal and state funds.
Freeholder Gerry P. Little said the county had to cut
$10 million from its budget this year but kept the
pumpout boat program.
The seaport will maintain and operate the boat, and
the county will provide operational funds up to
$20,000 per boat. The Ocean County Utilities
Authority reimburses the county up to half of the
operational costs, up to $50,000 for the 2010
boating season.
To name the boat, the county ran a contest for fifth-
graders in Tuckerton, Eagleswood and Little Egg
Harbor because it is the county's fifth pumpout boat
and is berthed in this southernmost area of the
county.
Tuckerton Elementary School fifth-grader Kayla
Nilsen, 10, came up with the winning name for the
Bay Sweeper, which her classmates voted as the
name to be submitted to the county.
"I was thinking it gets all the waste out so it sweeps
it all out of the bay," Kayla said.
The release of untreated sewage is prohibited within
3 miles of the coast and it is illegal to discharge
either treated or untreated effluent in a No
Discharge Zone. In Ocean County, the Manasquan
River, Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor Bay have
been designated No Discharge Zones by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Vicari said the pumpout boats have been around for
more than 11 years, before the mostly 11-year-old
fifth-graders were born. He noted that in 11 more
years, more improvement will be seen in the bay.
"We can win this, the same way we won the use of
the seat belts, by education and involving the
younger generation," he said.
The Bay Sweeper and the Waste Watcher can be
hailed on marine VHF radio channel 9, by calling
the captain's cell phone 609-760-6042 or by
contacting the Tuckerton Seaport at 609-296-8868.
unveiled
By PAULA SCULLY • STAFF WRITER • June 16,
2010
TUCKERTON - Ocean County's fifth pumpout boat,
named the Bay Sweeper, was unveiled Monday at T
uckerton Seaport, where it is berthed.
The pumpout boat service of effluent is free to
recreational boaters, said Freeholder Joe Vicari,
liaison to the pumpout boat program.
"In a difficult economy, we want people to know the
pumpout boat service is free, totally free of charge,"
Vicari said. "When they're worrying all over the
United States about water quality or how to fix a
problem, we already have this in place."
The Bay Sweeper covers both sides of the bay north
of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, from
Waretown to Barnegat Inlet.
The Waste Watcher II, another pumpout boat already
operating from Tuckerton Seaport, covers the bay
south of the bridge to Holgate, including Little Egg
Harbor Bay area and Great Bay. Dick Goulday and
George Ward are the captains of the seaport's two
pumpout boats.
4 - through the end of September. Depending on
the budget, the boats may operate until sometime
around Columbus Day.
The $62,100 Bay Sweeper was bought by the county
with grants provided by the Clean Vessel Act
program with federal and state funds.
Freeholder Gerry P. Little said the county had to cut
$10 million from its budget this year but kept the
pumpout boat program.
The seaport will maintain and operate the boat, and
the county will provide operational funds up to
$20,000 per boat. The Ocean County Utilities
Authority reimburses the county up to half of the
operational costs, up to $50,000 for the 2010
boating season.
To name the boat, the county ran a contest for fifth-
graders in Tuckerton, Eagleswood and Little Egg
Harbor because it is the county's fifth pumpout boat
and is berthed in this southernmost area of the
county.
Tuckerton Elementary School fifth-grader Kayla
Nilsen, 10, came up with the winning name for the
Bay Sweeper, which her classmates voted as the
name to be submitted to the county.
"I was thinking it gets all the waste out so it sweeps
it all out of the bay," Kayla said.
The release of untreated sewage is prohibited within
3 miles of the coast and it is illegal to discharge
either treated or untreated effluent in a No
Discharge Zone. In Ocean County, the Manasquan
River, Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor Bay have
been designated No Discharge Zones by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Vicari said the pumpout boats have been around for
more than 11 years, before the mostly 11-year-old
fifth-graders were born. He noted that in 11 more
years, more improvement will be seen in the bay.
"We can win this, the same way we won the use of
the seat belts, by education and involving the
younger generation," he said.
The Bay Sweeper and the Waste Watcher can be
hailed on marine VHF radio channel 9, by calling
the captain's cell phone 609-760-6042 or by
contacting the Tuckerton Seaport at 609-296-8868.