Boats, marinas and shore facilities in the City of Austin must comply with local, state and federal laws to insure that sewage is managed appropriately and the City’s water supply is protected (Austin City Code, Chapter 6-5, Article 3).
PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
A permit must be obtained* for each excursion boat with an on-board toilet (also known as a marine sanitation device) and each boat pump-out facility used for removing sewage from any boat or watercraft. In each case, the owner or operator must apply for a permit and follow permit display requirements.
- Excursion Boat with Marine Sanitation Device Permit Application (Fillable Adobe PDF)
- Boat Pump-Out Facility Permit Application (Fillable Adobe PDF)
* Marinas with boat pump-out facilities on or adjacent to Lake Travis that hold a permit from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and excursion boats operated from those marinas are not required to obtain this permit.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
All boats and boat pump-out facilities must comply with State of Texas Clean Water Certification Program requirements, whether or not the requirement to obtain a permit applies. In addition, owners and operators of all boats, marinas and shore facilities must meet other requirements related to boat sewage and sanitation facilities, including those addressing design, installation, operation, discharge prohibitions, record-keeping and waste documentation.
Austin Water may inspect any boat, shore facility or boat pump-out facility at any reasonable time to determine compliance with these rules. Failure to comply with any part of these rules may result in enforcement action, including fines of up to $2,000 per violation per day.