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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday,
October 24, 2005
| Contact: |
Art Starry, Environmental Health Division Director,
360-786-5456 |
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Linda Hofstad, Environmental Health Specialist, 360-754-4111 |
Public
Invited to Comment on a Proposed Septic System Program
for
Henderson
Watershed Protection Area
OLYMPIA
– Thurston
County Commissioners, also acting as the
county
Board
of Health, will receive testimony at a public hearing the evening of October
27th regarding rule changes for a proposed septic system operations
and maintenance program. Amendments to the County Sanitary Code and the
Henderson Shellfish Protection District ordinance would enable adoption of the
septic program, which would affect a portion of the Henderson Inlet watershed.
The program is part of a larger effort to recover water quality in the inlet
for protection of the public health and welfare, as well as reopen shellfish
harvesting areas that have been closed due to pollution.
Thurston County Environmental Health Division Director
Art Starry says that adopting the rule changes focuses on one source of
pollution to the inlet. “Studies
have shown that a significant source of pollution to the inlet is human waste
from failing septic systems. A
citizens’ advisory committee working on this issue has proposed an
operations and maintenance program (O and M) for septic systems in this part
of the
Henderson
watershed. These rule changes would allow for adoption of the program.”
The purpose of the program is to ensure that systems are being properly
maintained to prevent premature failures, and to regularly evaluate those
systems at highest risk of contaminating surface water so that problems can be
promptly identified and corrected.
The amendments to the
Sanitary Code would create a Henderson Watershed Protection Area where
enhanced operation and maintenance requirements would be in effect.
Amendments to the Henderson Shellfish Protection District would allow
for rates and charges to be assessed on the annual property tax statement in
order to fund the program.
The rates
for 2007 would be $32 for low-risk systems, $87 for high-risk, and $160 for
community systems.
The enhanced requirements would be that all septic
systems within the program area have renewable operational certificates. These
certificates would need to be kept current and renewal of certificates would
include routine system evaluations. The
program would divide septic systems into “low” and “high” risk
categories, depending on various factors such as soil type and proximity to
surface water. Both low-risk and
high-risk systems within the watershed would be required to have current
operational certificates, but the frequency and type of inspections would
differ.
Those who cannot attend the
hearing can send written comment to the Thurston County Commissioners/ Board
of Health . To find out more about the program, visit the Thurston County Web
Site at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/shellfish/
where an e-mail message can be sent if desired.
For additional information call 360-754-4111.
The
Thurston County Commissioners/ Board of Health Public Hearing will be held
Thursday, October 27th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. to receive public
testimony regarding amendments to the Thurston County Sanitary Code and the
Henderson Shellfish Protection District ordinance.
The hearing will take place in the
Expo
Center
at the
Thurston
County
Fairgrounds,
3054 Carpenter Road SE
, Lacey.
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