Boaters may have noticed new signs along Perrin River and Sarah Creek identifying the areas as No Discharge Zones.
No Discharge Zones are areas where the dumping of treated and untreated waste from boats is prohibited and violation is categorized a Class 1 misdemeanor. The signs only stand as a reminder to boaters who use designated waterways that they’re in an NDZ.
Anne Schlegel, Watershed Specialist for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, said clean water is vitally important to Virginia’s shellfish and fishing industries, as well as tourism. NDZs are a tool to help protect the health of marine and human life.
Sewage dumped by vessels has a concentrated amount of contaminants that, when dumped into the water, can introduce disease, foreign organics, nutrients and chemicals, said Schlegel. She said the high concentration of the sewage causes a disproportionate effect on the area where it is dumped. The high levels of nutrients and organic matter result in lower oxygen le...