Hargrove septic system bill approved by House
The House has approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Mark Hargrove to address the concerns of private property owners regarding newly proposed regulations of their small on-site sewage systems, also known as septic systems.
Hargrove, R-Covington, says the regulations, proposed by the King County Department of Health, would be far too burdensome for the average family. To remedy this, he has introduced House Bill 2420 to require the state Board of Health (BOH) to adopt new rules surrounding the inspection or repair of private septic systems.
Under the bill, professional inspectors and local health officers would be required to receive property owners’ permission before accessing their property. In addition, property owners would no longer be required to provide dedicated easements to local health officers in order to receive a permit to build a septic system.
The BOH would also be required to adopt new rules in the event of a septic system failure. Hargrove says there is a real fear among property owners that the regulations proposed by the King County Department of Health could force them to replace their existing system with a new system they can’t afford. To alleviate these concerns, House Bill 2420 would require the BOH to prioritize repair over replacement, and work to keep costs low for property owners by using the least expensive alternative that still meets standard.
“This is a good bill that’s designed to help rebuild the trust between government and private property owners,” said Hargrove. “When you have 600 people show up at a junior high school to express concerns about newly proposed regulations, that’s something to take very seriously. It was a pleasure to work with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to get this bill to a place where it could receive such overwhelmingly bipartisan support. I think that’s a testament to what we can do when we put people before politics and work together to solve problems.”
House Bill 2420 was approved 96-1. It now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
