Frequently Asked Questions revised10/24/2011
Thurston County is committed to protecting Woodland Creek and Henderson Inlet by converting existing septic systems in Woodland Creek Estates and Covington Place to a sanitary sewer. The county is also committed to making the transition with as little financial impact as possible to you and your neighbors. To that end, we‘ve applied for and received a Department of Ecology grant for $3.76 million as well as a loan for $1.23 million, which the county will pay back with no cost to residents. We have also applied for and received a Community Development Block Grant to help low- and middle-income families pay for sewer installation (details below). We continue to seek other funds from federal, state and local resources. The following are frequently asked questions we’ve received in the past year.
Why is this project needed?
A
two-year study, completed in 2008 by Thurston County, the City of Lacey and the
LOTT Wastewater Alliance, pointed to stormwater runoff and residential septic
systems in the Woodland Creek/Covington Place neighborhood as prime
contributors to pollutants in Woodland Creek, a tributary to Henderson
Inlet. Nitrates and fecal coliform bacteria
in these waters exceed state and federal water quality standards. The study
states that converting existing septic systems to sanitary sewer would greatly
reduce pollutant loading to Woodland Creek and Henderson Inlet.
My septic system works great. Why does it have to be replaced?
Some
septic systems may appear to be operating correctly because there is no ponding
of water/sewage by the drainfield, and the home’s plumbing continues to work.
However, a system may be failing because it does not provide treatment of waste
before it enters the environment.
Connecting a home to a sanitary sewer system transports waste to a
treatment facility and will greatly decrease pollutants entering the
environment.
What will it cost me?
Each
household will be responsible for paying the connection fees to the City of
Lacey and LOTT. Currently, the combined
fees total $6,640. Costs may be
reduced if:
• Savings are achieved in design and
construction.
• Other funding is identified and secured.
Three major pieces make up the estimated
$5.9 million project cost:
• Planning and design ($1.23 million loan from
the Department of Ecology and repaid by Thurston County at no additional cost
to residents)
• Construction (estimated $3.76 million Ecology
grant)
• Sewer connection fees (estimated $900,000
funded by residents)
Earlier
project estimates of $8.5 million have been cut to approximately $5.9 million.
This reduction is mostly due to changes in the proposed design. The previous
design assumed a standard sanitary sewer system and a sewage lift station. With
Lacey’s cooperation, we’ve changed the design to a less expensive STEP system.
The good news is that the grant and loan
package offered by Ecology provides a majority of the funding and results in
significantly less cost to homeowners than previous estimates. We will continue
to seek funds to further reduce the cost to you and your neighbors.
Is other funding available for low
to moderate income households?
Thurston County applied for and received a Community
Development Block Grant. This grant
provides up to $767,412 to help low- to moderate-income residents pay
connection fees. This is a first come, first served program. Thurston County
will send out a CDBG application packet to all property owners after January 1,
2012. The packet will include
information on how to complete the application and people to contact if you
have questions. We continue to seek and
apply for additional funding to help relieve the financial burden of this
project.
How will the new system work?
Unlike traditional septic systems which rely
on drainfields, STEP systems consist of a tank, a sewage pump, and a control
panel. Wastewater flows from the house into the tank,
where a pump sends the liquid and other lighter materials to a sewer main. The
solids remain in each homeowner’s STEP tank where it naturally degrades. The
City of Lacey will remove solids from each tank every five to six years. Lacey
will own, operate and maintain the system outside each home at no additional
cost to you. Once this
project is complete, we expect to see a significant reduction in pollution now
reaching Woodland Creek and Henderson Inlet. Residents will also benefit from
having improved waste disposal for their properties because STEP systems are
not affected by high groundwater or poor soils.
 |
| Typical Step System |
How long will it take?
Q
Phase 1: Install sewer mains
within the streets of your neighborhood and along 15th Avenue. Nov. 2011-Spring
2012.
Phase 2: Install up to 110 STEP
systems on individual properties and connect to sewer mains. Summer-Fall 2012
Phase 3: Install remaining
STEP systems. Summer to Fall 2013.
Who has to connect to the new system?
The
county Board of Health requires each residence to connect to the new STEP
system. (Resolution # H-3-2011). This in line with Ecology’s requirement as
part of the loan and grant package that all Woodland Creek/Covington residences
connect to the new sewer system by the end of January 2014.
What if my septic system fails before sewers are installed?
If your
septic system requires repairs or if it fails before sewers are available,
please contact the county’s Environmental Health Department at (360) 867-2669.
Staff will work with you to develop an interim repair plan which protects
public health and minimizes your cost to the extent possible.
Who will be responsible for maintenance of the sewer system?
Once
STEP systems are installed, the City of Lacey will operate and maintain the
entire system outside each house including the STEP tank, pumps, and pipes.
Inside plumbing will continue to be the responsibility of each residence.
Can anything more be done to further reduce costs?
Yes!
Here’s where you can help. Cooperation in allowing access to your property
could reduce your cost!
We need written permission (a “right of entry
agreement”) for our staff to enter your property to design your individual STEP
system. To date, we’ve received 122 agreements.
Once design work is done and we know where
each STEP system will be placed, we’ll need written permission from each
residence to install the system. Additionally, the City of Lacey requires an
easement for ongoing operation and maintenance.
Obtaining one agreement may not be too
cumbersome, but obtaining an entire neighborhood’s worth is an enormous task,
savings in staff time will reduce project costs, which in turn could reduce
costs to individual residences. Thank
you for your cooperation.
More Information
- Please contact Roger Giebelhaus at (360) 867-2343, or at giebelr@co.thurston.wa.us with your questions and comments.
- See the Woodland Creek Project pages on the Public Works website at www.co.thurston.wa.us/publicworks/woodland.htm
