Learn about proposed changes for septic owners in Thurston County

Community members are invited to learn about updates and proposed changes to Thurston County Public Health’s septic management plan during a workshop 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Griffin School, 6530 33rd Ave. NW, Olympia.

The plan, which has been proposed by an advisory committee but hasn’t been adopted by the Board of County Commissioners, is designed to protect the county’s drinking water, officials say. It is an update of the 2008 Thurston County On-site Sewage System Management Plan, and creates new sensitive areas.

The update recommends replacing fees with a charge to all septic owners via their property statements. There are two proposals for how to structure the single charge. One is a flat annual fee of $45 to all septic system owners. The other is a tiered fee ranging from $22 to $66, depending on location of the septic system and documented water-quality problems in the area.

The proposed charge would be reduced by 50 percent for those in the senior/disabled tax exemption program, officials say.

For information, see www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehomp.

For questions or comments about proposed septic management plan updates, call 360-867-2643 or email venninj@co.thurston.wa.us.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 8:08 PM with the headline "Learn about proposed changes for septic owners in Thurston County."