Why do some Pierce County homeowners have to pay for septic inspections and others don’t?

Out of sight, out of mind?

If your home has a private septic system in Pierce County, you might receive a letter saying you need to get it inspected — even if you’re not seeing any problems with it.

It’s been a state requirement for at least 24 years that owners of septic systems receive regular inspections. Currently, the requirement is yearly or every three years depending on the type of system, and to have them pumped and fixed as needed.

But not all homeowners get the inspection notices.

The state tasks local health departments with enforcement. The goal is to identify and fix faulty, aging tanks that can pollute local waters.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department began enforcing yearly inspections for alternative septic systems, which are more complex than a septic tank and drainfield for the average home, across Pierce County in 2000.

Limited staffing and funding kept the health department from widely enforcing inspections of the simpler non-alternative systems until several years ago.

That means more and more residents have been getting those notices, and having to pay for inspections, for the first time in recent years.

According to TPCHD spokesperson Kenny Via, the health department now sends around 1,500 to 1,800 notifications a month to Pierce County residents due for a septic inspection.

There are consequences if you don’t get an inspection when you’re due for one. The health department “may record a certificate of non-compliance on your property title,” which can “make it more difficult to sell, refinance, or develop your property in the future,” according to the health department website . The fee to remove that recording is $841 as of this year.

The local health department’s goal is to send everyone with a septic system a reminder when it’s time for an inspection, though there’s no timeline for going countywide.

For now, they send notices to those in environmentally sensitive areas, and to owners of alternative systems and any new systems installed since 2001.

It’s an arrangement that has tested their relationship with some residents of the Key Peninsula. The health department began sending letters to Key Peninsula homeowners requiring them to get their systems inspected in 2021, The News Tribune reported , as water quality there became an issue.

Some Key Peninsula residents told The News Tribune they feel such frequent inspections seem unnecessary and that they’re concerned about their ability to pay professional service companies to do the inspections, which typically cost a few hundred dollars each time. Others said it’s unfair that only some areas of the county are currently subject to the requirements.

Meanwhile, the local health department is pursuing a waiver from the state that officials hope will make inspections less frequent for residents.

What is a septic system?

Septic systems process wastewater from homes and businesses not served by public sewer systems. There are approximately 950,000 small on-site sewage systems in the state, according to the Washington State Department of Health .

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department website encourages people to think of septic systems “like a sewage treatment plant, only much smaller.” Whatever you drain or flush can end up in your septic system, including wastewater from your bathrooms, laundry, kitchen sinks and showers.

More than one in five U.S. households rely on these underground systems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency .

There are different types of septic systems, but a conventional or non-alternative system usually includes a storage tank, which is where solids entering the tank settle, according to Septic Solutions Northwest . The liquid wastewater then exits the tank into the drainfield and is slowly filtered through the soil.

Gravity septic systems are a type of conventional system that rely on gravity to draw the wastewater into the drainfield. Pressure distribution systems are similar but use a pump to drain the wastewater, according to Septic Solutions Northwest. Both require three-year inspections, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department website .

More complex septic systems include community, aerobic treatment or proprietary systems, and require annual inspections, the website says.

Do septic systems really need to be checked that frequently?

Jerry Hemley is the owner of Hemley’s Septic Service based in Gig Harbor, and has been working in the septic service industry for over three decades. His company serves customers in Pierce, Kitsap and Mason counties.

According to Hemley, he and his colleagues check the amount of sludge at the bottom of the septic tank, the amount of solid waste floating on top and the color of the water in the tank during an inspection, as well as many other factors. A full list of parts checked in an inspection is available on the health department website and in their environmental health code .

The process is also a conversation. Hemley said helping customers understand what potential risks their systems might face later on is a big part of doing inspections. For example, their experts might flag a tree or bush planted near or on top of the septic system that could cause problems in the future.

Some customers say they’re rarely at home, but overlook the fact that they do laundry there, Hemley said. Other systems are abused when renters live there and allow grease to go down the sinks. Those factors can directly impact a person’s septic system without them knowing. He emphasized the importance of understanding a customer’s habits and then educating them accordingly.

“People got to trust you, and you have to give them correct information,” Hemley said.

How much do septic system inspections cost and how are those fees impacting homeowners?

According to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s website, the price of a typical routine inspection ranges from about $250 to $350, including a $54 mandatory filing fee that goes to the health department. That doesn’t include the cost of pumping or repairs, if an inspector finds that’s necessary.

Jessica Gehle, TPCHD division director for environmental health, said all fees collected go back into the program, which is formally called their Septic System Operation & Maintenance Program. The health department has no influence over costs set by the septic service providers, according to Gehle.

There’s also a $3.50 fee septic companies must pay to onlineRME to file a report there, visible to health department staff and inspectors so they can track a system’s service history. Anyone can view inspection reports for a specific address by clicking “Report Search” at onlineRME.com .

One of Hemley’s Key Peninsula customers, Dan Van Antwerp, has used Hemley’s Septic Service every time to get it inspected and pumped. He told The News Tribune Aug. 13 that he trusts the company and appreciates their service.

At the same time, he said he has heard of others who are at risk of being priced out of their homes because of increasing property taxes and believes the cost to get inspections could be an additional burden for some. He said he would have no problem getting an inspection every three years at a nominal cost, say $50, when he’s getting it pumped anyway.

The $195 quote Hemley’s Septic Service provided for inspecting Van Antwerp’s septic system was before adding the mandatory filing fees. The team also pumped his system during their visit. The quote for that was an additional $475. Julia Christman, the septic office manager for Hemley’s, provided those numbers.

Pierce County Council Member Robyn Denson told The News Tribune via email she has heard concerns from her constituents about the required frequency of inspections and the costs, but she doesn’t think there’s a “pervasive feeling” that these inspection costs are driving residents out of their homes. She does hear concerns about property taxes and wrote that she tries her best to remind residents that state law limits property tax increases to 1% each year unless a majority of voters approve further increases, as stated on the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s website .

“I believe that people are feeling the cost of ‘everything’ right now — groceries, gas, property taxes, dramatically increasing insurance rates and yes, obligations like septic inspections (which we need to remember is also part of regular home maintenance), etc,” she wrote. “It’s just a lot and I understand people are overwhelmed.”

Denson encourages residents who are financially struggling to reach out to TPCHD or to email her directly at robyn.denson@piercecountywa.gov for help finding resources from Pierce County if they’re worried about being priced out of their homes. She also said the county’s Property Tax Exemption Program can help reduce property taxes for eligible senior citizens and people with disabilities.

What resources exist for residents to get help paying for their inspections?

The health department offers discounts for septic system inspections and other maintenance to residents who qualify based on their income and where they live , including on the Key Peninsula. The discount for a routine inspection is $125.

Eligible residents can fill out a financial assistance form and have it verified by the health department, then give that form to a certified service provider participating in the program to receive the discount. Residents at 80% of the area median income or below qualify. For example, that means a household of four with an income of $92,650 or below would qualify, according to the financial assistance form.

You can also request up to a 1-year extension to get your inspection by emailing OMSeptic@tpchd.org, according to the health department website.

The health department also has a list of additional resources available through nonprofits and local governments, including loans from a community development nonprofit called Craft3 and the Pierce County Home Repair Program .

Another avenue of relief may become available soon.

Inspections may be required less often soon

Gehle confirmed that TPCHD submitted a waiver application to the Washington State Department of Health on Aug. 2 requesting that the frequency of required inspections for gravity systems be extended from every three years to every five. It’s a decision that only the state can make.

“We’re really excited and hopeful that we’ll be able to share that little bit of relief to homeowners who may have a gravity system in less sensitive areas,” Gehle said.

The state Department of Health told TPCHD they hoped to review the request over the next couple of weeks, she told The News Tribune Aug. 8.

Gehle told The News Tribune the point of regular inspections is to help homeowners learn about minor issues and get them repaired before they blow up into major and even more expensive problems. According to TPCHD’s website, the price to repair or replace a failing septic system can vary, but on average costs thousands.

What about DIY inspections?

Could owners be allowed to inspect their systems themselves?

It’s not off the table, according to Gehle, but Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has researched the idea and found it wanting. They haven’t seen enough evidence that self-inspections are effective based on data provided by other counties that have implemented it. Clallam County , Thurston County and Jefferson County are among those that offer training to homeowners to do self-inspections.

TPCHD environmental health specialist Niels Nicolaisen said he has attended two classes designed to educate homeowners on how to do self-inspections and talked with “almost every county in the region” that offers a self-inspection option. He doesn’t want to assume people aren’t being truthful, but the data suggest inaccuracies in the self-inspections people report, he said.

He also said professional inspectors are required to complete extensive training and continuing education to keep their license, which makes him feel more confident in their abilities to check a system than a homeowner who has only taken a two-hour class.

If it was up to Key Peninsula resident Rick Harrison, he’d take care of his own system. He’s lived on the peninsula since 2014 and owned homes for over 30 years. He has a septic system on his 2.5-acre property. Four months after he got it pumped in June 2021, the local health department sent him a notice that it was due for an inspection. He said he requested a one-year extension and continued to wait until finally getting an inspection for $380 last month, after he was warned he would get a recording of non-compliance that would act as a lien on his property if he didn’t comply. He passed the inspection without any problems.

Harrison sees himself as a responsible homeowner capable of inspecting his own septic system and getting it pumped when needed. To him, the health department is forcing him to get inspections when it isn’t necessary.

He also believes it’s unfair that the statewide requirement is only being enforced in certain parts of Pierce County at this time.

“I’m all for public health, I’m all for not having failed septic systems, but I’m also all for equal protection of the law,” he said.

Harrison filed a civil rights complaint with the state Department of Health via email Aug. 1, alleging Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department “is selectively enforcing the WA State WAC for septic tank inspections on the Key Peninsula,” according to the email he forwarded to The News Tribune. He said he believes the health department is violating Key Peninsula residents’ Fourteenth Amendment rights.

According to an email Harrison forwarded to The News Tribune, he received a response from the Department of Health Aug. 16 that said the issues he raised don’t fall under the scope of the Civil Rights & Americans with Disabilities Act Program, and that their public health advisors would follow up with him.

Why do some areas of the county receive letters about inspections and others don’t?

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department began sending required inspection notices to owners of non-alternative septic systems in areas deemed “environmentally sensitive” and prone to water pollution in 2019, according to TPCHD spokesperson Brett Cihon.

They include:

• Alderton Creek
• Key Peninsula
• Lake Tapps
• Lynch Creek
• Minter Bay
• North Fork
• Ohop Creek
• Salmon Creek
• Spiketon Ditch
• Swan Creek

Spokesperson Via said Lake Tapps was the first of these areas to begin receiving notices. The area has had concerning water quality reports in the past, including in 2016 when some swimmers in Lake Tapps got sick because of toxic algae blooms, The News Tribune reported. Since implementing the mandatory septic inspections, the health department hasn’t had to issue any algae warnings for Lake Tapps, according to TPCHD environmental health specialist Nicolaisen.

The Key Peninsula was also targeted because it’s considered a Marine Recovery Area , an area next to Puget Sound that has pollution due to on-site sewage systems, according to the state Department of Health . Per state code , local health jurisdictions must create plans to perform inspections of these systems and ensure appropriate repairs are made to any that are failing. The code doesn’t stop counties from permitting self-inspections if a person is certified by the county.

Water pollution on the Key Peninsula can impact shellfish, an industry and food source the health department pays close attention to, Gehle said.

Between Feb. 1, 2021 and Aug. 21, 2024, the health department found that over 1,300 septic systems inspected on the Key Peninsula had “high priority deficiencies,” that could impact human or environmental health if not addressed, according to TPCHD spokesperson Cihon. That’s about 12% of the peninsula’s more than 8,500 septic systems. They also identified over 900 low-priority deficiencies, about 8% of all inspections.

Gehle said TPCHD doesn’t have the funds or staffing necessary to run the program countywide, though that’s their ultimate goal. Besides sending letters to residents due for an inspection, the program also requires staff to be available to answer questions and run the financial assistance program for those who need help paying for inspections.

The health department has some funding streams that only apply to certain areas. Gehle said that Cascade Water Alliance has partnered with the health department to help fund septic maintenance and operations work around Lake Tapps.

According to Via, the county’s operation and maintenance program has an annual budget of about $490,000, which includes about $60,000 for financial assistance.

Pierce County contributes about $173,000, the state Department of Health contributes $156,000 and the Cascade Water Alliance helps with $80,000 of that total, he wrote. The remainder comes from fees and the state Department of Ecology.

There isn’t an exact timeline yet for rolling out the program to the rest of the county, but Gehle emphasized that all new septic systems that have gone through the health department’s permitting process since 2001 are automatically enrolled.

How to learn more

Gehle said health department staff are available to answer questions, especially from residents on the Key Peninsula. Residents can talk to the health department in-person at their Key Center Corral office at 9013 Key Peninsula Highway North in Lakebay, or connect via phone or video call, she said.

Residents can contact Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department at ehsepticsystems@tpchd.org or (253) 649-1925.