Hey, Pierce County, a pandemic is no time to require a $250 septic system inspection
All the everyday public health work that’s handled by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department doesn’t stop just because a pandemic is raging. There are still food safety inspections to do, other infectious diseases to fight (including an ongoing outbreak of Hepatitis A in several Washington counties) and many additional duties to fulfill.
That TPCHD is able to juggle these responsibilities while leading the local response to the COVID-19 emergency for two months (and counting) is a credit to the department’s administrators and staff.
But some of what they do should be put on hold — particularly anything that imposes undue costs and burdens on Pierce County residents, who are reeling from the shutdown of Washington’s economy.
Specifically, requiring routine septic system inspections isn’t the best use of TPCHD’s time and resources right now.
Sending notices to hundreds of homeowners, and setting deadlines for inspections to be completed, puts extra stress on people struggling to make mortgage payments. The notices also don’t offer a clear way to appeal or postpone inspections, which can cost over $200 — plus $48 for government reporting and processing fees.
The timing is unwelcome for Don Edwards of Lake Tapps, who calls it a “money grab.” He received a letter April 15 giving an inspection deadline of May 31. He’s one of about 350 Lake Tapps area residents who received notices in a recent batch.
“My concern is, why are they doing this during a pandemic? It makes absolutely no sense,” Edwards said. “My wife and I are 72 years old. We’re supposed to be isolating … I will not be having unknown persons in my yard as long as there is any possible threat to me and my wife.”
“This is the wrong time to be doing that stuff,” he added. “I understand if you want to show up once every five years, that’s OK. But people don’t know what their finances are going to be for the next year or more.”
Edwards said he’s owned his house for 34 years, and this is the first inspection letter he’s received. That’s probably because TPCHD just recently started sending notices to owners of simple home septic systems; it previously focused on owners of complex systems, such as proprietary or community systems.
In total, TPCHD plans to send around 3,500 notices in the Lake Tapps area, where it says an estimated 70 percent of septic systems are out of compliance. More notices will follow in coming years, targeting environmentally sensitive areas or other places of concern around Pierce County.
Septic inspections are supposed to be done every three years for a simple system, every year for a complex system, and anytime that a home is sold.
A TPCHD spokeswoman says around 10 concerned homeowners responded to the recent notices, and all were granted deadline extensions. That’s good to hear. But it doesn’t account for those who didn’t know they could request an extension because the letter didn’t spell out recourse measures.
To be clear, we believe regular septic system inspections, pumping and maintenance are good public health policy and a smart investment for property owners. When systems fail, they can contaminate ground and surface water, make people sick from untreated sewage and cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace.
But the urgency is diminished by the one-two punch of a global pandemic and economic collapse. At a time when plastic bag bans and other environmental rules are being waived, this one should be, too.
TPCHD can send advisory letters, if it has resources during this chaotic time. Homeowners should do septic upkeep if they can afford it. But mandates should be lifted for the rest of this year.
Pierce County residents have enough crud to worry about as it is.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Have questions about septic system inspections?
Call (253) 798-4788 or email EHSepticSystems@tpchd.org
Need septic maintenance tips and “dos” and “don’ts”?
Attend a virtual workshop on Thursday (May 14) from 4 to 5 p.m. by clicking here
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 8:00 AM.