Baby wipes, cleaning wipes, or any moist towelettes. Grease can also clog the pores in your soil, damaging your drainfield and may lead to system failure. Caring for Your Septic System - Washington State Department of Health Proper care and maintenance of your septic system also occurs around the area where your system is installed. Get the latest on local COVID-19 trends, news and helpful resources from Chelan-Douglas Health District, weekly in your inbox. Sept. 21 Septic Loans - Washington State Department of Ecology After completing your inspection and necessary maintenance, you should shower or bathe, even if you dont feel like youve been exposed to sewage. Directory Septic Application Turnaround Times Septic Permitting Shovels can be used to evaluate the depth of the scum and sludge found in your septic tank. Septic | Snohomish County Health Department, WA Protect your system from damage. Paper Application. If Public Health does not have a record for your septic system, it probably means that your system was installed a long time ago, prior to any requirement to create an as-built. This program supports healthy shellfish and fisheries, and helps ensure Washingtonians have access to swimming beaches and recreation.. Training of the homeowner by a Skagit County certified O&M provider or attendance at a Washington State On-Site Sewage Association (WOSSA) or similarly approved training class on pumps is required. The drainfield is the final and the most downstream component in your septic system. Requesting Records - Environmental Health - Public Health If you prefer, download and print a paper application (PDF), and mail to: Washington County Government Center Public Health . Keep vehicles, heavy equipment, and livestock off your septic tank, drainfield, and drainfield replacement area. Plant trees and shrubs away from your septic tank and drainfield to keep roots from growing into your septic system. Please note- many other septic systems exist, we are only discussing those allowed to be inspected by homeowners through this course. This requirement went into effect September 1, 2010. Water from roofs drains, driveways, patios, or sump pumps should be diverted away from the septic tank and drainfield area. Others are more complex, requiring pumps, filters, or specially designed materials. A 2006 state law (RCW 70.118A) required Puget Sound counties (including King County) to designate MRAs where shellfish growing areas are closed due to bacterial pollution (or if closure is likely), or where bacteria or nitrogen are seriously affecting water quality. . A property owner with a pump system must have additional training to demonstrate competency with pump systems. These records will be helpful if problems occur, and will be valuable to the next owner of your home. Onsite Sewage & Septics - Environmental Health - Public Health This is called vertical separation, and you can see in the figure how the vertical separation determines the type of system needed for a specific site. Food Safety, Land Development, Environmental Hazards, Water Recreation & Public Schools . The Snohomish County Health Department works to ensure that septic systems are located and installed correctly, and kept in good working condition. Established in 2016, the Regional On-Site Sewage System Loan Program has helped nearly 1,200 homeowners repair or replace their septic systems, a value of $26.7 million. Water usage is likely the biggest contributor to a failed septic system. After reviewing this information and the training videos listed below, homeowners may evaluate their own on-site sewage system (OSS). In the past there were no standards for septic systems and permits were not required. Department of Ecology News Release - Sept. 21, 2021. Using gloves will minimize your exposure risk. Let it cool, harden, and then throw it away in the trash. Proper hygienic practices minimize the risk of exposure to disease causing agents that are found in sewage. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Informacion sobre la vacuna contra la COVID-19, COVID-19 Information for Food Establishments, Selling Your Property - Report of System Status. Read the meter once all faucets are off, and then wait a few hours and check the meter again. Septic system records can be requested for viewing during office hours at the Health Department from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Save you money and extend the life of your system. If the label says, Danger, Warning or Caution bring it to the facility for proper disposal. will be sent back to the homeowner for revision. As-builts are drawings that oftentimes are drawn to scale or otherwise help describe the location of your septic system. Link/share our site at www.kingcounty.gov/asbuilt, If you do not find a record drawing, please send an email to, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, Private wells, plumbing and onsite sewage systems. Search for previous service and inspection reports online. Old homes may not have a septic permit or the as-built may be unreliable. Save your money from septic tank additives. Installers, Designers Once you submit your quiz and contact information, we will have a record of you completing Septics 101. Real estate professionals need to inform both the buyer and seller of this requirement. Tank lids come in different shapes and sizes. Combined, these systems treat 154 million gallons of wastewater annually. If you have been watering lawns and other landscaping on your property, your readings may not accurately reflect all of the water processed by your septic system. Missing information, photographs, etc. Some are simple, using only a tank and a drain field, and others are more complex, requiring pumps, filters, blowers, UV lights, or specially designed materials. The term on-site sewage system is used in the state and county code, on permit application forms, and by industry professionals to refer to different types of septic systems. One way that you can identify a very slow leak is by shutting all faucets off and keeping them off for a period of time. Septics 101 Clinics - Skagit County, Washington A failing septic system is usually a costly and urgent situation for homeowners. Public Health continues to work with Vashon-Maury Island residents to document improvements to water quality, find sources of excessive bacteria, and, where possible, eliminate these sources. Our reply (from PAEGAT25) may go to your email's Spam folder. Educate property owners to make sure their septic system gets proper maintenance. Sewage related records are typically marked with an "SWG". The loan program is a partnership between the Department of Ecology, the Department of Health, local county and health departments, and Craft3, a nonprofit community lender. Onsite Sewage Program | Skamania County Please arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. The scale should be described on your as-built. Regardless of the method you use to request this document, you will need to provide the following information: *If your address was once a "route #, box #" please include the roads/streets that the property is located on and by. Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry. Keeps You and Your Neighbors Healthy Household wastewater is loaded with disease-causing bacteria and viruses, as well as high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Your local health agency may have a more stringent inspection requirement. Your septic system is not capable of handling many wastes that you may generate in your home. Local landscapers or nurseries can help you select plants that are appropriate for the areas around your septic system. Port Townsend, WA 98368. Every drip, drop, sprinkle, or spray of water that goes down a shower, sink, toilet, or drain will end up being processed by your septic system. Properly built and maintained septic systems have many benefits. If not, please do not enter anything in this field. Rakes can be used to lift floats and screens. Previously, Craft3 offered Clean Water Loans on a more-limited basis in partnership with specific counties. There are a number of older homes where something was installed years ago that makes the wastewater go away but where it goes and how it functions is unknown. Figuring out how many gallons of water per day that you have consumed, will allow you to evaluate if your septic system is operating per the original design. Manager of Healthy People & Communities. Yakima. Learn how to obtain sewage permit information. If still warm and in liquid form, the grease can be poured off easily into a water-tight container such as a coffee can and disposed of in the trash. The goal is to protect public health, to evaluate all septic systems, to identify and repair failing systems, and make records available to the public. It does not mean that you do not have a septic system or that it is failed or illegal. Don't avoid the signs of septic system failure. Every owner of an on-site sewage system needs to know where their on-site sewage system is located in order to properly maintain it. This is a cheap and easy way of assessing your toilet for leaks, which may otherwise be difficult to detect visually. Remember, the soil where your drainfield is located, is capable of disposing of only so much liquid. Oftentimes, the metal handle used to remove the lid may become rotted, and will not support the weight of the lid, nor be usable for popping off the lid. As-built: shows location of on-site sewage system Permit: documentation of permitted system Previous Inspections: links to onlineRME.com to show recent operation and maintenance inspections If documents are not available please contact Clark County Public Health at (360) 397-8428. If electrical problems are identified, a homeowner should contact a licensed Electrician. A Sanitarian of the Day is available Monday through Friday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on a first come, first served basis either by . Tacoma, WA 98418-6813 (253) 649-1500 (800) 330-1844 TDD (253) 649-1400. Remove gross contamination from your equipment. & Development Services, Washington State Department of Healths OSS Program, Do-It-Yourself Septic System Inspection Video, Read the Department of Health Gravity Septic System inspection guide, Fill out the checkist form and return it to Public Health, Department of Health Gravity Septic System inspection guide, Pressure/Pump to Gravity On Site Sewage Summary Report, Check the Washington Department of Labor and Industries to find information about electricians, Skagit Check your OSS Application status The On-site Sewage Program is responsible for evaluating site conditions for onsite septic systems, characteristics of soil in test pits, setting permitting conditions, and issuing permits for septic systems. For a typical household, septic tanks are usually pumped every three to five years. An O&M Specialist is going to inspect operational components such as a flow test, a drawdown to verify that timer settings are correct, and a pressure test if applicable. Care must be taken to properly clean electronic tools such as drills or screw drivers. If heavy rains cause water to sit around your septic system, avoid putting water down your drains. Be aware that your meter readings may represent all of the water used, including irrigation. Everything you put down your drain or into the toilet will end up in your septic system. Tacoma, WA 98418-6813 (253) 649-1500 (800) 330-1844 TDD (253) 649-1400. Household size. To find out what type of system you have, take a look at your propertys as built records. There are many different types of systems. You may get splashed or sprayed with raw sewage. Thurston County also performs this service for a fee. Financial assistance A "how to" guide is available on the online permitting portal when applying for a septic permit. Public Records; Smoke-Free Housing Information; View. Using a garbage disposal will increase the amount of solids entering the septic tank, requiring more frequent pumping. A long piece of rebar can be pounded into the ground to look for a tank. A septic system evaluation can be performed by a septic system professional. Oftentimes, when tanks are installed, the dirt used to cover them has a different texture than the surrounding area. Skagit Countys Septics 201 Online Training program is designed to help property owners maintain and use their septic system, as well as conduct regular evaluations of their OSS. Search for your record drawing using the following steps: Some common reasons that record drawings are not available online: If you do not find a record drawing, please send an email to as-built.help@kingcounty.gov. Site Sewage Were you able to find what you were looking for today? Shellfish that grow in marine waters are harvested from our beaches and can become contaminated by failing septic systems. Septic System and Individual Well Forms and Applications These gases can be odorless and may deprive you of oxygen. In gravity plumbing, liquids will carry solid materials out of your dwelling towards downstream components. Search for septic and drinking water records in our online search tool. It should be noted that at the time of a property transfer, a licensed O&M Specialist must conduct the inspection. Think of inspections like oil changes and routine maintenance for your car, you do a little here and there to keep it running for as long as possible. Address 7102 W Okanogan Pl Kennewick WA 99336 Phone 509.460.4200 Hours of Operation Monday-Friday The Health District maintains records of existing on-site sewage systems for your convenience. It is also recommended the first inspection of any OSS be done professionally. A Pressure Distribution system will have all of the following major components, each of which should be thoroughly inspected: plumbing; septic tank(s); pump tank; and a drainfield. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. Complete a septic application using the online permitting portal. A septic system, also known as an on-site sewage system (OSS), stores, treats, and disposes of the things you flush and send down drains. Septic systems use a combination of nature and time-tested technology to treat wastewater from household plumbing produced by bathrooms, kitchen drains, and laundry. See Ecology's. Household Hazardous Waste Facility: 14104 Ovenell Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Washington Permits and Inspections Directory Advertising Search WA Public Records WA Marriage Records WA Divorce Records WA Criminal Records WA Death Records WA Birth Records WA Background Search Search Records By Name Find Permits and Inspections Resources in Washington Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top It is important to keep the solids, called sludge, from building up and coming near the outlet baffles of the system if this happens, solids could plug the pipe to the drainfield, or even worse, clog the drainfield. Customer service counter opens at 9:30 a.m. the first and third Thursdays of every month.