The Niantic River and Bay PumpOut program was founded by Fred Grimsey, President of Save the River-Save the Hills (STR-STH) in 2001. As a passionate conservationist, Fred saw a need to keep the Niantic River clean by helping boaters to conveniently and properly empty their on-board sewage holding tanks, rather than pumping the waste where no one wanted it – in the Niantic river and bay. Fred used his Yankee ingenuity to design and build (pro bono) the first PumpOut boat. Now over 20 years later, the Niantic River and Bay Free PumpOut Service Program captures over 15,000 gallons of waste each season from boats in the area.
To keep this service functioning and our water clean, STR-STH depends on annual public funding to “keep the program afloat.” This is provided through generous grants from the Federal Clean Vessel Act Grant Program managed by CT DEEP, Dominion Energy, Inc., East Lyme and Waterford town funding, the Waterford/East Lyme Shellfish commission, and private donors. Help keep the Niantic River and Bay an enjoyable and healthy resource by participating in the Niantic River and Bay Free PumpOut Program.
PumpOut Program services are provided: 9 am – 5 pm, Friday through Monday from mid-May til the end of October. Call for a pump out at 860-287-2774, or hail at CH 68. Please visit https://www.savetheriversavethehills.org/pumpout-program.html and https://eltownhall.com/services/pumpout-program/ for more information.
The Niantic River and Bay PumpOut Program is administered by Jim Paganetti. Boat operations and maintenance are performed by Rick Nelson along with boat operators Aiden Grimsey and John Deer.