Marine Wastewater

October 4, 2022 – We're talking marine wastewater discharge! As Alaskans, we want to know the safety of our water and ecosystems are always prioritized! 

And that priority was the takeaway from our conversation with Jon Wendel from the State of Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water. Jon provided insight on the cruise ship water monitoring process and everything it entails from testing to enforcing. And WOW; the information is plentiful! Expect a follow-up post!

Jon talked about the high standards the cruise industry is held to in regards to wastewater discharge, like their highly restrictive limits on discharge effluent, which results in orders-of-magnitude better treatment of discharge than our land based facilities! Additionally, many cruise vessels don’t actually discharge in state waters and every vessel gets inspected by DEC at least once, if not twice, in a season.

“With the Department of Environmental Conservation, we live here in Alaska, we all work here in the state. I think there is just a really good permittee/regulator relationship that we’re building with the industry that just has mutual respect. It’s making the conversations that could be unpleasant, received well, and the industry is receptive to what we’re telling them.

"The department regulates discharges in such a way to be protective to human health and the environment. That is our core mission, to be out there making sure that the cruise ships are being good stewards while they’re here in Alaska, they’re operating responsibly, and that they have the best intentions. To that end, we have been given broad leeway to develop the program in ways we need, to develop our staff in the way that we need.” - Jon Wendel, DEC Division of Water Compliance Program Manager