Boaters Leaving Floaters? Sacramento Hopes To Crack Down On River Squatting, Dumping

SACRAMENTO RIVER (CBS13) — A floating eyesore is becoming a growing problem for police, as boaters living on the river are dumping trash and even human waste into the waters of the river city.

Think of an abandoned car on the side of the road—it's run down, dirty and possibly creating a hazard.

Police say there are people with boats on the river doing the same thing, and in some cases using our waterways as their personal septic system.

Officer Tracy Trapani with the Sacramento Police Marine Unit says oen boat has been on the water for a few years without being routinely docked at a marina.

"The issue with that is there is nowhere for them to dump their waste, they are living out here for months at a time," she said.

Trapani says she's seeing more longterm vessels anchored by the shore, some people living on the river for weeks, leaving piles of trash behind.

And that's not even the worst part. Stinky solids meant for the toilet are also a big nasty problem.

"We've actually pulled up alongside some of these boats and actually witnessed them pouring waste overboard into the American or Sacramento river," she said.

Current Sacramento law says a vessel can't stay in one spot for more than 30 days at a time, but to get around that time limit, boaters let their crafts drift a few feet, making them legal again.

A proposed law would mean boats can only stay put for four days and then owners have to move them, staying out of the area for 24 hours.

"The idea of that is that it gives the person an opportunity to properly remove wastes from their boat into a marina, can go to a dump station, and they can do the proper maintenance on their vessel," she said.