– Boaters also have to pay for the sewage, which the rest of us have to do. Everyone must contribute to us getting a cleaner Oslofjord, says mayor of Hvaler Mona Vauger (Ap). A ban on discharging septic tank from recreational boats in the Oslo Fjord may soon become a reality. The Norwegian Environment Agency and the Norwegian Maritime Administration are now recommending a ban on emptying sewage into the fjord, after having investigated the consequences for leisure boat owners, municipalities and port authorities. Mayor of Hvaler Mona Vauger (Ap) welcomes the ban on emptying sewage into the Oslofjord. Photo: Heidi Gomnæs / news Whales live largely on boat tourists in the summer. For several years, the mayor has fought for a sewerage ban. She believes that emptying stations are not only a public responsibility. – I and several other mayors have proposed to the minister that there must be a common set of regulations for the entire Oslofjord, and that there must be a ban on releasing septic tanks directly out of the fjord. According to the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, there are 948,000 recreational boats in Norway. 349,000 of them are registered in region East. Today, sewage from boats can go straight into the sea as long as they are more than 300 meters from shore. – Actually, you have to drive a long way before you release this, but there is no one to control it, says Vauger. Proposes that older boats must be rebuilt The Directorates propose that the new regulation should come into force as early as 1 July 2023. They recommend a ban and outline two solutions: A general ban on emptying sewage into the Oslo Fjord. A requirement that all boats are rigged so that they can empty septic tanks in emptying stations. Should it become illegal to empty sewage from recreational boats in the Oslofjord? Yes No Don’t know Show result For many people with older boats, this means an order to rebuild if the boat does not have facilities to empty sewage. – I see that it may take time to rebuild the boats, but good solutions must be found for that. There are many players in the industry who need to be commissioned and who can rebuild older boats. It can cost boat owners dearly if the boat has to be rebuilt. According to the secretary general of the Royal Norwegian Boating Association, Stig Hvide Smith, the cost varies from NOK 15,000 and upwards. Stig Hvide is secretary general of the Royal Norwegian Boating Association. He takes a serious view that the fjord is becoming more polluted and believes the boaters are ready to take responsibility. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news – The attitude to rebuilding boats is present, but unfortunately not all boats can be rebuilt. If this is to be legislated, larger and smaller boats must be taken into account, says Smith. If the ban becomes a reality, it is still unclear how it will be controlled. Requires more emptying stations Today there are only 42 emptying stations along the Oslofjord. Smith believes there is no capacity to receive the sewage on land. Overview of today’s emptying stations along the Oslofjord. Photo: Screen dump/Miljødirektoratet/Sjøfartsdirektoratet – Many of today’s emptying stations do not work. If all the boats are to be ordered to empty the muck at the station, then there is no capacity at all as it is today. There are 600,000 users in the Oslo Fjord, so the alternative with a plug in the ass doesn’t work well, says Smith. In the investigation carried out by the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Norwegian Maritime Administration, it appears that there are too few and too long stretches between the emptying facilities established today. It is the municipality itself that must arrange for new emptying stations. In the municipality of Moss, there is only one emptying station. This means that people almost have to leave the municipality to empty, according to head of the Moss motor boat association Geir Foldvik. Geir Foldvik, leader of the Moss motor boat association, believes that more sewage emptying stations must be established. Photo: Geir Ove Korneliussen / news He also believes that the cost issue can lead to people having to think alternatively. – When you start talking about NOK 100,000, you are talking about a lot of money. If it is an old boat, it can quickly mean that people are selling or exchanging the boat. But first you have to get emptying stations. That is the most important thing, says Foldvik.
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Recommends a ban on the discharge of sewage from leisure boats in the Oslofjord – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
