Lundell surveys wastewater facilities in marinas along Finland’s western coastline

Jukka Lundell is touring the western coastline of Finland to assess the status of wastewater pump-out facilities in marinas. This examination aims to evaluate both the quantity and condition of the equipment, marking the first such survey in over twenty years. Lundell has visited all known marinas between Raippaluoto in Mustasaari and Kristiinankaupunki.

“Some facilities are in quite poor condition, raising questions about whether they are actually being used and if they are operational,” Lundell noted. He added there are also examples of well-maintained equipment. Pump-out stations allow boaters to empty their septic tanks, and ideally, all marinas should have this facility. However, in practice, no one in Finland has a clear count of these facilities.

Under current regulations, marinas with at least 25 berths are obligated to accept waste from vessels and to develop waste management plans. Smaller marinas catering primarily to small ferries and fishing boats are exempt from having pump-out facilities. If a marina lacks a pump-out station, it must establish an agreement with a nearby marina to share such a service.

Lundell believes that some boaters still discharge their waste directly into the sea, despite regulations prohibiting this practice. Direct waste discharge has been illegal since 2005, with tighter regulations implemented in 2021, although these do not specify penalties. Awareness and capacity for waste treatment need improvement, as local municipalities ultimately manage marina waste oversight. Lundell theorizes that the tightening of laws may have gone unnoticed by some municipalities.

The survey’s findings extend beyond the coastline to lakes in southern Savonia, North Savonia, and North Karelia.