S-1026               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5356

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Smitherman and von Reichbauer

Read first time 1/20/89 and referred to Committee on   Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to the repair of waterfront sewer systems; and adding new sections to chapter 70.118 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.118 RCW to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that:

          (1) Many saltwater-front lots were developed without adequate means of sewage disposal;

          (2) Installation of community sewers is not practical in many of these areas;

          (3) Many of these homes are being expanded, remodeled, or rebuilt in violation of the building code; and

          (4) These sewer systems are polluting the waters of the state.

          The legislature further finds that modern technology has developed effective ways to treat the sewage from these residences in order to protect against significant health hazards and water quality degradation.

          It is the intent of the legislature to allow the owners of single-family saltwater-front residences to replace inadequate on-site sewage treatment facilities with modern effective systems.  It is also the intent of the legislature to provide incentives for these homeowners to upgrade their sewage disposal systems by allowing these homes to be remodeled, rebuilt, or expanded.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.118 RCW to read as follows:

          The owners of single-family residences that were legally occupied prior to July 1, 1988, and that are on property adjacent to marine waters, who repair or replace an existing on-site sewage disposal system so that the system achieves a thirty-day average effluent quality of:  (1) Less than 10 mg/1 BODS, and (2) less than 10 mg/1 total suspended solids may remodel, expand, or replace the single-family residence.  This standard must be met prior to discharge of the effluent below the surface of the ground.

          If the department of social and health services finds that more restrictive standards are necessary to ensure protection of the public health, attainment of state water quality standards, and the protection of shellfish and other public resources, the department may propose rules for adoption by the state board of health identifying the standards necessary for implementing its finding.  The department may also identify the geographic areas where it is necessary to implement the more restrictive standards.  In addition, the department may propose standards for the design, construction, maintenance, and monitoring of sewage disposal systems.