Sewer Utilities
This page provides general information about sewer utilities in Washington State, including information on statutes, administration, side sewers, and funding.
Overview
Sewer utilities, whether operated by a city, county, or special purpose district, have these common goals;
- Develop comprehensive sewer plans for sewer systems;
- Provide for collection, treatment, and disposal of domestic, commercial, and industrial wastewater in accordance with federal and state regulations;
- Establish rates for collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater that provide adequate revenue for administration, operation, maintenance of the sewer system;
- Provide for customer billing services and processes that are fair, equitable and in compliance with accepted accounting principles.
Statutes and State Regulations
- Ch. 35.67 RCW – Sewerage Systems – Refuse Collection and Disposal
- Ch. 36.94 RCW – Sewerage, Water, and Drainage Systems
- Chapter 70A.212 RCW – Domestic Waste Treatment Plants – Operators
- Title 54 RCW – Public Utility Districts
- Title 57 RCW – Water-Sewer Districts
- Title 87 RCW – Irrigation Districts
- RCW 87.03.015 – Certain powers of district enumerated.
- WA Department of Ecology: Water Quality Rules
- WA Department of Health: Wastewater Management
Utility Billing and Collection
For information on utility billing – including utility billing procedures, financial assistance programs, property transfers, and collection of delinquent utility accounts – see our pages on Utility Billing.
Sewer Rates
An excellent resource for sewer rates (as well as water and stormwater rates) is AWC's 2018 Utility Rate Survey. This allows you to compare utility rates, rate structures, number of connections, and other characteristics for up to three cities at a time. (This data is only for cities, not counties or special purpose districts.)
Below are selected examples of sewer rate schedules, studies, and RFPs.
Rate Studies & Schedules
- Bellingham Final Draft Report for Water & Sewer Rate Update (2012)
- Cedar River Water and Sewer District Schedule of Charges (2024)
- Kettle Falls Sewer Equivalent User Rate Schedule (2016) – Updating the equivalent user schedule (equivalent residential units/ERUs) to be used in conjunction with the basic monthly flat rate
- Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Master Fees and Charges Schedule (2023)
- Royal City Sewer Rates and ERU Table (2023) – Sewer rates and system development charges with equivalent residential unit (ERU) table
- West Sound Utility District Sewer ERUs and Fees (2024)
RFPs
- Friday Harbor Final Report for Water, Sewer and Stormwater Utility Rate Study (2008)
- Leavenworth Utility Rate Studies RFP (2023) - Sanitary sewer, water, stormwater, and commercial solid waste
Finance
- WA Departent of Ecology: Water Quality Grants and Loans
- Spokane Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Funding Sources (2013)
Planning - Comprehensive Sewer/Wastewater Plans
Planning for Sewer/Wastewater Systems
- King County System Planning
- Kitsap County Wastewater Infrastructure Taskforce (WIT) Final Report (2009) - Discusses the planning, funding and construction of sewer infrastructure within the urban growth areas (UGAs), as well as preparing policy recommendations and technical documents for implementation
Comprehensive Sewer/Wastewater Plans
- Issaquah Sewer System Plan (2002)
- Lynnwood Wastewater Comprehensive Plan (2012 with 2018 updates)
- King County Wastewater Services Website
- Olympia Wastewater Plan (2020)
- Pierce County Unified Sewer Plan (2020)
- Sammamish Plateau Wastewater Comprehensive Plan (2022)
- Spokane Six Year Comprehensive Wastewater Program (2014)
Sanitary Sewer Regulations
Below are selected examples of general sanitary sewer regulations.
- Entiat Municipal Code Ch. 13.10
- Kent Ordinance No. 4210 (2016) - Repealing and readopting sanitary sewer standards. New topics addressed include fats, oils, and grease (“FOG”) and new enforcement provisions.
- Shoreline Ordinance No. 780 (2017) - Repealing the city’s water and sewer code and replacing it with a new wastewater utility chapter, as required for city’s assumption of the Ronald Wastewater District
Side Sewers
Side sewers (sometimes known as "building sewers") connect individual buildings to the sewer main. There are no specific statutes or court cases that we are aware of addressing side sewer ownership, but MRSC generally considers side sewers – including the portions within the public right-of-way – to be owned by the private property owners, as side sewers are privately constructed and benefit private property interests rather than the public sewer system as a whole.
As such, side sewer repair and replacement is generally the responsibility of the property owner, as it could potentially be considered a gift of public funds for a public utility to maintain side sewers benefiting private property interests. However, there are exceptions if the private benefit is incidental to the overall public benefit – see AGO 2009 No. 5.
Some jurisdictions opt to maintain the portion of the side sewer within the public right-of-way and only assign responsibility to the property owner for the portion of the side sewer on private property (from the building to the property line). Others hold property owners responsible for the entire side sewer, all the way from the building to the sewer main, including the portion within the public right-of-way (from the property line to the sewer main).
Side sewer maintenance and repair often comes as a surprise to property owners. Repairs can be expensive, and homeowner's insurance usually does not cover the portion of the side sewer between the property line and the sewer main. At least one jurisdiction – Tacoma, see below – requires prospective buyers and sellers to be given a city flyer educating them about side sewers prior to closing.
Below are selected examples of side sewer policies and related documents.
Side Sewer Ownership & Responsibility
- Bainbridge Island Municipal Code Sec. 13.12.060 - City is responsible for the portion of the side sewer lying within the street right-of-way or easement
- Ilwaco Municipal Code Sec. 14.06.120 - Property owner must pay all costs related to side sewer installation and connection. Property owner must pay for all side sewer repairs on the property and must pay to fix any blockages within the public ROW that originate on private property.
- Kitsap County:
- Code Ch. 13.12 - Distinguishes between "side sewer" (sewer main to property line) and "building sewer" (property line to building)
- Side Sewer Brochure - Information for property owners about what a side sewer is, how to inspect and maintain it, and how to prevent blockages
- Spokane County Code Sec. 8.03.1870 - Property owner is responsible for maintenance and repair of entire side sewer, including portion within public ROW.
- Sumner Municipal Code Sec. 13.16.290 - Building sewer (side sewer) located in public ROW is property of the city and shall be maintained, repaired, and replaced by the public works department. Property owners are responsible for side sewer on their property.
Side Sewer Construction, Maintenance & Regulations
- Centralia Municipal Code Sec. 15.10.110 - Side sewers and connections
- Coal Creek Utility District Side Sewer Regulations (2014)
- Kent Municipal Code Sec. 7.04.170 (2016) - Addresses damaged/noncompliant side sewers, as well as conditions likely to cause obstruction (such as visually evident accumulation of fats, oils and grease)
- Mercer Island Single Family Side Sewer Standards (2019) - Summarizes the city’s side sewer construction requirements for single family residences
- SeaTac Municipal Code Sec. 12.05.010 - Adopts King County standards for side sewers
- Seattle:
- Side Sewer Code (2018) - Links to municipal code, FAQs, and rules for construction, inspection, and enforcement
- Your Side Sewer - Overview for property owners, with links to more information on specific subtopics
- Side Sewer Cards and Maps - Search for specific addresses to view side sewer lateral maps, aerial photographs, and side sewer cards for any parcel
- Spokane County Side Sewer Installation Handbook (2016)
- Tacoma:
- Private Side Sewers - Webpage includes FAQs and helpful resources such as:
- Side Sewer Educational Flyer (2016) - Real estate professionals are required by city code (see Title 12, Sec. 12.08.720) to provide this flyer to property buyers and sellers they are representing, prior to closing.
- Side Sewer and Sanitary Sewer Availability Manual (2016)
- Side Sewer Condition Assessment and Repair Recommendations (2018) - Educates property owners about common side sewer problems (with photos), recommend when repairs should be performed, and describe the repair/replacement process
- Private Side Sewers - Webpage includes FAQs and helpful resources such as:
Fats, Oils, and Grease ("FOG")
Fats, oils, and grease (“FOG”) from food preparation can build up within private side sewers and the public sewer main, causing blockages and sewage backups. While FOG may be liquid during food preparation, it can become viscous or solidify after it is dumped down the drain as temperatures and conditions change, so it is important to minimize the amount within the sewer system through regulations and FOG control devices (for commercial/industrial producers) as well as public education programs (for all users including home cooks).
Examples
- Auburn Municipal Code Ch. 13.22 – Requires FOG control plan for business license application/renewal
- Bonney Lake Ordinance No. 1510 (2015) – Updates FOG enforcement provisions and changes noncompliance penalty from a criminal misdemeanor to a progressive system of fines
- Ferndale:
- Fats, Oils & Grease Program – Useful webpage with links to regulations, FOG management plan templates, grease removal/recycling providers, and other resources
- Ordinance No. 1803 (2013) – Fats, oils, and grease control regulations. For new businesses, FOG control plan required with building permit application or tenant improvement (change of use) application.
- FOG Control Plan Form (2013) – Word document download; plan must be submitted by food manufacturers, processors, and service establishments
- FOG Control Plan Example (2013) – Fictional example showing how a local food business might fill out its FOG control plan
- Kennewick Fats, Oils, and Grease Pretreatment Requirements – Webpage addresses FOG control requirement for coffee shops that do not serve food
- Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District Fats, Oils, and Grease Regulations (2014)
- Tacoma Grease Interceptor Sizing & Installation Policy and Best Practices (2014) – Guide to help businesses select the right types and sizes of grease interceptors. Also includes best practices for gravity interceptors and hydro-mechanical interceptors
Biosolids
Biosolids are sewage sludge that is a primarily organic, semisolid product resulting from the wastewater treatment process, that can be beneficially recycled and meets all applicable regulatory requirements. The Washington State Department of Ecology Biosolids page provides laws and rules, permitting process, permits and related forms, guidelines, annual reports, FAQs, links to related resources, and contact information. MRSC provides links to some of the local government waste water biosolid programs.
Biosolids Programs
- Everett Biosolids
- Forks and Port Angeles Agreement for Biosolids Beneficial Use (2002)
- King County Biosolids Recycling
- Snoqualmie Water Reclamation Facility
- Tacoma TAGRO - TAGRO is a nutrient-rich soil conditioner made from biosolids, an organic by-product of the city's treated wastewater.
- Yakima Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility: Biosolids - Includes annual biosolids report
Biosolids References
- Environmenal Protection Agency: Biosolids
- Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology: Biosolids Applied to Land (2002)
- Washington State University: Biosolids Management
- Cornell Waste Management Institute: Sewage Sludge
- Water Environment Federation: National Biosolids Partnership
- Northwest Biosolids Management Association
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is critical for sewer utilities, which must protect vital infrastructure in addition to customer billing information, personal employee information, and important internal documents. For a list of helpful resources, see our Cybersecurity Resources for Local Governments.
Recommended Resources
Below are some useful resources related to public sewer utilities.
In-State/Regional Resources
- WA Department of Ecology:
- Criteria for Sewage Works Design ("Orange Book") (2023) – Guide for the design of sewage collection, treatment, and reclamation systems
- Water Quality Permits – Information about wastewater discharge permits, including permit forms and lookup information
- Wastewater Operator Certification Program
- Evergreen Rural Water of Washington – Provides training and technical assistance to water and wastewater systems throughout Washington State
Out-of-State/National Resources
- National Environmental Service Center – Resources and technical assistance housed at West Virginia University for wastewater systems in small and rural communities
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: NPDES Municipal Wastewater – Overview of wastewater collection systems, including peak flows and sewage overflows
- Water Environment Federation – Nonprofit organization providing technical education and training for wastewater treatment plant operators and other water quality professionals
- National Association of Clean Water Agencies – Advocates for public wastewater and stormwater agencies