Don't Get Caught Without That Sticker
A TRWD officer will often be cruising the docks at random times especially on a week that your not around the lake looking for out of date registrations and more importantly that toilet inspection sticker to see that your not dumping overboard. Be sure to get this inspection. Information on how to get this inspection is below in this this article. So it's one least thing in not getting pulled over on the lake. Believe it or not if you don't have a toilet on your boat you still have to display the sticker. Yes, it's true. The TRWD official that came out made it very clear to me. A friend of mine who has a 25’ sailboat that has no toilet in his boat was told that he has to have one. They have already hit in the past months boats at Harbor One and the Fort Worth Boat Club and it's only a matter of time till they hit the small, medium, and big size power boats all over the lake. Now your wondering who do I call for this inspection. You need to call TRWD @ (817) 335-2491 and ask for Cody. Cody's ext. is 4705 and they do the inspections on Friday between 1 and 3. He's the only one doing them on the lake at this time. More than likely you'll get his voicemail and he won't call you back in a timely manner. We left 3 messages for him before we got a return phone call. He said he has been swamped with this duty and it was thrown into his lap by the higher ups. He's had to do over 200 boats already. My suggestion to you is to do what we did and some of you ban together on your dock and have him do several boat inspections on your dock like we did. If some of your dock mates can't be there because of work commitments and so on then have your neighbor let them in your boat and your neighbor or friend will pay them. TRWD must be able to get inside your boat to where the holding tank is and make sure it's plumbed to go from the toilet into a tank or bladder. The cost per boat inspection is $15.00 and must paid by check. No credit cards or cash accepted. One check can be written for as many boat inspections as needed. I'm not sure what the fines are for these two violations but I'm sure it ain't cheap. If you don't believe me go look at the violation stickers that are on most of the sailboats at Harbor One Marina.
Article III Section C - 3
All watercraft with an enclosure capable of containing toilet facilities are required to affix to the windshield of such watercraft an inspection decal (translation - that means if you don't have a toilet in your cabin you still need a inspection) even sailboats.
issued by the District. Such inspection decal will be issued by the District after inspection of the watercraft docked or operated on each District reservoir at such times and places as may be established by the District, for which inspection a reasonable fee will be charged in such amount as may be set from time to time by the District. Notice of the inspection times and places shall be given to the owners of all affected watercraft, either in person, by certified mail or by publication in a newspaper with general circulation in the
locality of the reservoir where the watercraft is docked. After the fifth day following the expiration of the period designated for the inspection of the watercraft, no person shall have located on nor shall operate on the
reservoirs of the District any watercraft unless a valid decal of inspection is displayed thereon as required in this section. Failure of the owners of watercraft to present such watercraft for inspection at the times and places designated by the District and failure to display such decal while locating or operating watercraft on District reservoirs shall constitute a violation of this Ordinance and be punishable as herein provided in Article XVIII. A Justice of the Peace, at his or her discretion, may dismiss the charge of operating a watercraft with an expired inspection decal if the defendant remedies this defect before the hearing. No person shall display or cause or permit to be displayed any inspection decal knowing the same to be fictitious or issued for another watercraft or issued without the required inspection having been
made. No person may transfer an inspection certificate from one watercraft to another without the permission of the District.