Growth in southern Puget Sound has
taken a toll on once-productive commercial shellfish growing
areas in Henderson Inlet near Olympia .
Since the mid 1980s, the state Department
of Health has increasingly limited or completely closed
the number of acres available for harvest in the inlet
due to high levels of bacteria from many nonpoint pollution
sources, including failing onsite septic systems.
An advisory group of citizens, state and
local health officials, shellfish farmers and other interests
spent several years addressing proper operation and maintenance
of septic systems. On Nov. 21, 2005 , Thurston County commissioners
approved the group’s recommendations. The commissioners
created a special Henderson Watershed Protection Area,
which now requires more intensive monitoring of septic
systems. Homeowners in the area will also need renewable
operating certificates. The program divides septic systems
into risk categories, based on soil types, location and
proximity to surface waters, all of which will determine
the frequency of required periodic inspections.
“It will be exciting to see
how this approach to assessing septic systems translates
to cleaner water for shellfish,” said Terry
Hull, the Action Team’s Program Manager
for Nutrients and Pathogens. “It’s innovative
to base a program on risk levels. You can bet the Action
Team will be following the county’s program closely.
It could be a model for others.”
To help fund the new program, county commissioners
will assess fees based on the types of systems homeowners
have. The rates for 2007 will be $32 for low-risk systems,
$87 for high-risk systems and $160 for community systems.
Contact: Sue Davis, Thurston County ,
360-754-4111 or daviss@co.thurston.co.us.
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