Location

• Bilge water collects in the lowest part of a ship (called the bilge), where the two parts of the hull connect. It is often separated from the working compartments by a deck or roof.
  
  

History

• Bilge water on large vessels was made up primarily of rainwater, human wastes and whatever water managed to leak in past the hull.
  
  

Industrial Contaminants

• Modern bilge water contains not only the traditional wastes, but also fuels, oils or industrial solvents that leak from the engine, machinery and drivetrain.
  
  

Pumping

• Bilge water was once eliminated by the hand-and-bucket method, but modern ships use high-pressure pumps similar to those found on fire trucks.
  
  

Dumping

• Many nations like Canada and the U.S., do not allow the dumping of bilge-water in ports and environmentally sensitive areas.