Marina Intern

Program Summary:

The Boater Education and Pump Out Program is a supportive effort of HRSD, Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program, administered by The Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the City of Virginia Beach, the City of Norfolk, the City of Portsmouth, and the City of Hampton. The Programs Mission is to promote the proper disposal of sewage from boat holding tanks to protect public health and the waterways of Hampton Roads. Boater pump-out interns provide a free holding tank pump out service and educate the public on the health and ecological hazards of dumping vessel sewage into local estuaries, creeks, rivers, the bay, and ocean.

Examples of Position Duties:

Under general supervision of the P3 Supervising Specialist, the Boater pump-out interns: 

a. Work in teams of two or three and provide a pump out service to the boating community of Hampton Roads on an appointment basis. 

b. Pump out marina sanitation devices using a manual portable pump out cart and transport waste to an HRSD treatment plant for proper disposal. 

c. Conduct face-to-face discussions with boat owners, marina dock masters, and the public about the proper disposal of sewage from their on-board marina sanitation devices 

d. Provide handouts to reinforce community knowledge and understanding of local laws and harmful effects of illegal dumping of wastewater into the waterways 

e. Contact prospective clients via telephone 

f. Drive to local marinas and HRSD treatment plants 

g. Operate, maintain, transport and store portable pump out equipment, 

h. Collect and summarize data of daily activities in a Geographic Information System (GIS) survey.