$5000 pumpout bill, vs. 1.47 billion gallons dumped by Metro

Apparently, the company that does pump out services for our members is doubling the cost for the next year. Last year, we paid $2500. This year, the cost is going to $5000. Next year????

And in the news this week, it was revealed that Metro dumped 1.47 billion gallons of untreated sewage into King County waters, including Lake Washington, Lake Union, and the Ship Canal during 2015.

Obviously, recreational boats are to blame for the vast majority of water pollution. Of course. Must be. Have to be. Blame them thar rich and evil boaters. 

But back to club pumpout issues.

The company that provides these services is already paid for doing so by the DOE, up to 75% of whatever the company purports their costs to be.

Should the club be paying $5000 per year so that members do not have to bother to do their own pump outs? $5000 represents all the dues collected from seven members.

Obviously, this is a service that the extended stay users probably value highly. It's also a service that any member can privately contract, if desired.

With the Winslow public dock remodeling this year, there will not be a pump out near the outstation- so maybe in the short term the commercial vessel-to-vessel service is needed on Bainbridge. At the last meeting, did anybody get the impression that the City of Bainbridge might be funding vessel to vessel service in Eagle Harbor while the pump out is disabled? If they are doing so, that's something to include when planning.

In my  opinion, $5000 is a lot to pay for pumpouts. But, we would have to keep the crane and pump out portion of the main pier clear at the mainstation if we expect our members to assume responsibility for pumping their own holding tanks.