Fort Lauderdale Offers Free Sewage Pumpout Service to Boaters to Protect Waterways

The City of Fort Lauderdale is rolling out a new initiative to maintain the cleanliness of its waterways by introducing a free sewage pumpout service for boaters. Approved by the Mayor and City Commissioners, this program is a collaborative effort with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which has endorsed the city's purchase of a Sewage Pumpout Vessel through the Clean Vessel Act grant.

This newly minted service aims to directly tackle the hassle and prohibitive costs often associated with the disposal of sewage waste. Launching in spring of 2026, it intends to encourage boat owners to responsibly empty their holding tanks without discharging them into the surrounding waters. City Manager Rickelle Williams explains the motivation behind the program, "Pumping out sewage can be a dirty and difficult task and calling a service to do it for you can be expensive," as told Fort Lauderdale's official website. The city hopes that this free and convenient solution will reduce the amount of untreated sewage that is ending up in the Fort Lauderdale waterways.

The sewage pumpout service will be available on-demand or by appointment, made easily accessible through the FixItFTL app or the City’s official website. The vessel, operated by the city, will visit boats to safely remove waste without the boat owners needing to be physically present. "We are removing any excuse for someone not to remove their waste appropriately. It’s free. It's easy. You don’t even need to be there when the service is completed," said Marco Aguilera, the City’s Chief Waterways Officer, as per the same news release.