Time for 'Septic Awareness'

If you own a septic system, you're responsible for it, and it behooves you to take care of it, not only to keep it working properly but to protect the environment. If those aren't good enough reasons, the day of accountability is coming on July 1, 2007. That's when new regulations governing septic systems will go into effect in San Juan County.

In July 2005, in response to new rules from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Washington State Board of Health published its On-Site Rules governing the installation and maintenance of on-site waste treatment systems. The new code requires local health authorities to write plans for the development and management of all on-site systems within their jurisdiction. In response, the San Juan County Health Department is heading up the San Juan County On-Site Sewage Disposal Local Management Plan Committee, a group of industry professionals, realtors, owners of shellfish-rich shoreline properties, and representatives of environmental groups. The Committee is currently meeting to choose one of five management models, developed by the EPA, to be presented to islanders during a public hearing and comment period this fall.

"We're finally coming up with a standardized system for installation and operations and maintenance," said Dave Wallace of Lopez Septic Service, a member of the Management Plan Committee.

Most septic systems in the county are managed by individual property owners, or else by a Responsible Management Entity (RME) such as the Fisherman Bay Sewer District.

Wallace said, "With ownership comes responsibility and liability. You can't just let it go 20 years, especially with shoreline lots. It's of ultimate benefit to all of us to protect our aquifer."

Bill Kim of Lopez Septic Design said 80 percent of the systems that fail do so because of neglect.

"There are far too many people that shouldn't open a tank, and far too many who should but don't."

Kim said many older island systems that originally cost three to five thousand dollars were intended to be temporary at the time they were installed. The cost now is now fifteen to twenty thousand, he said, and the first time many people begin to take a real interest in how their septic system works is after they pay to have it re-done.

Wallace currently hauls the septage he pumps with his truck to Anacortes.

"It's silly that we have to export it," he said, adding that he would be happy to work with San Juan County to "take care of our own." He believes in both new technology and simple solutions, like adding hay and other matter to the 100,000-plus gallons of septage sitting at Port Stanley from that failed system. That would turn it into a "Class A biosolid," a compost that could be spread on fields.

With the newer technologies, Wallace said, on-site sewage systems will be more efficient and cost-effective, but they'll need trained people to operate and maintain them. He and Kim agree that owners of septic systems need to get serious about proper maintenance

"They own the system. You wouldn't drive a car without expecting to change the oil in it. Some thinking needs to change."

The state Department of Health website has a number of downloadable PDF files with titles like "Basic Principles of Onsite Sewage" that contain information on septic systems and wastewater treatmnent:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/Publications.htm.

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