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07/25/2007: "County Passes New Rules On Septic Inspections"

(Environmental Health Manager Mark Tomkins at Board of Health hearing)

New regulations on inspecting and maintaining septic systems has been approved by the San Juan county Board of Health. The regulations will result in a gradual phase in of mandatory inspections of all on-site septic systems. For most home owners, the new regulations will mean new costs associated with hiring someone approved by the County to perform the inspections and maintenance.

Based on past experience, and current costs in other counties, it is anticipated the fees will range from $150.00 to $400.00, depending on who does the work, and what tasks are performed.

The inspection regulations will be phased in over the next four years. Aerobic and proprietary treatment systems, and all systems in areas declared sensitive would be covered immediately (there are maps attached to the The Draft Operation and Maintenance Program Plan ) draft). Pressure distribution, sand filter and mound systems would require annual inspections beginning in 2009, and all “standard” gravity systems -of which there are several thousand- will have to be inspected every three years, starting in 2011.

There is some good news in all of this:


The plan requires an additional $50 county inspection report filing fee to cover the cost of educational programs, data maintenance and enforcement, and the advisory committee draft recommends the County use a portion of those fees to run a training class for those home homeowners that wish to perform their own inspections and maintenance.

Mark Tompkins said that the county may be eligible for state grants to reduce that cost by as much as $30 for each of the first two years. Alan Lichter is a member of the Board of Health, (he and Howard Rosenfeld represent the County Council) and he suggested that additional language be added to the draft to make if clear the class will be offered.

From here the draft will be sent to the the State Department of Health for their review and approval. San Juan County is one of twelve Puget Sound counties required by the State of Washington to adopt a plan that will ensure septic systems are inspected and maintained to prevent system failures which could cause raw or inadequately treated sewage to contaminate sensitive coastal areas, or surface or ground water.

The current requirement that all onsite wastewater systems be inspected when a property is sold will continue to be enforced. After state acceptance, the Board of Health will need to amend the local sewage code to reflect the new inspection program. The advisory committee’s report noted that the total cost for even those with the highest inspection requirements would be less than the amount paid in wastewater utility fees by clients of Friday Harbor, East Sound and Lopez sewer districts. But then of course those fees also include the installation of a septic treatment system, but the home owners outside of those jurisdictions still are responsible for the costs of installing their systems.