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Home My WebLink About2018 OSSOMJEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH – PLANNED PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2018 ONSITE SEWAGE (OSS) and SEPTIC OPERATIONS & MONITORING (O&M) PROGRAMS 1 PROGRAMS: Onsite Sewage (OSS) Permitting and Onsite Operations and Monitoring (O&M) Programs MISSION: The mission of the Onsite Sewage Program is to minimize the threat of surface and ground water contamination from failing or improperly designed, installed or maintained onsite sewage systems. The mission of the Operation and Monitoring Program is to protect public health by ensuring onsite sewage systems are monitored, identify failures, and items that may lead to costly premature failures of OSS that contaminate ground and surface waters. Goal Objective Task Performance Measure 2013 Actual 2014 Actual 2015 Actual 2016 Actual 2017 Projected 2018 Planned Goal 1: Educate homeowners, builders, real estate personnel, banks, installers, designers and onsite system maintenance personnel in the proper operation and maintenance of onsite sewage systems (OSS) Develop written informational materials and conduct workshops for the public addressing OSS operation and maintenance, program incentives for initial inspection, installation of monitoring access risers and homeowner inspection program Provide training to community groups to increase awareness of OSS regulatory requirements Conduct OSS operations and maintenance needs and requirements workshops for homeowners & professionals # of workshops and presentations # of people trained 20 4 10 7 6 6 Issue press releases about OSS training opportunities and general OSS info # of press releases provided 6 4 5 4 2 Not Measured for 2018* Create OSS operation and maintenance information to be included in Monitoring Inspection Reminders Statements/info created 4 4 7 15 5 Not Measured for 2018** Goal 2: Ensure a high quality-onsite sewage system monitoring program Send Monitoring Inspection Reminders to property owners Create and send inspection reminders # of reminders sent 800 0 4,980 2,375 see summary 2,000 2,000 Review monitoring and inspection reports, provide timely follow-up and coordinate with online submittal program data Increase percentage of OSS receiving required monitoring inspection. % of OSS receiving monitoring inspection 4.7% 5.1% 7.8% 14.4% 15% 18% Review reports, triage, send follow-up letters/notices # reports reviewed 641 685 1060 980 1,500 1500 # follow-up letters sent 154 156 168 157 180 220 Create an equitable funding mechanism to support the OSS Operations and Monitoring Program Evaluate funding mechanism to fund O&M Program. Adopt fee to support program PASS PASSED Not Measured for 2018** JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH – PLANNED PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2018 ONSITE SEWAGE (OSS) and SEPTIC OPERATIONS & MONITORING (O&M) PROGRAMS 2 Goal Objective Task Performance Measure 2013 Actual 2014 Actual 2015 Actual 2016 Actual 2017 Projected 2018 Planned Goal 3: Investigate complaints and action requests in a timely manner to reduce the threat of human contact with untreated wastewater Utilize existing data systems to track action requests and complaints1 Report complaint investigation response % OSS complaints investigated within 30 days 90% 94% 98% 96% 95% 95% Goal 4: Document all onsite sewage systems in Jefferson County Identify previously unknown onsite sewage systems Complete sanitary surveys to move sites served by OSS from unknown to known status # of systems identified 204 69 107 76 See summary 70 70 % of estimated existing 13,500 systems identified 78% 78.5% 79.2% 81.5% 82% 82.7% Goal 5: Implement the Homeowner Inspection Program adopted in code revisions May 2012 to comply with monitoring requirements under WAC 246- 272A Establish access to training programs (Septics 101 and 201) for homeowners to obtain authorization to complete monitoring inspections Provide trainings and link to online trainings # of homeowners who take in person and online trainings 410 81 251 591 500 500 Respond to requests for authorization to inspect by homeowners # of homeowners authorized 192 75 147 354 500 500 Provide trainings and link to online trainings # of homeowners that submit inspection reports 15 3 66 216 200 250 1 Complaints include all reports from the public and others regarding onsite sewage issues. These range from reports of someone parking or driving on their drainfield, living on property without a permitted septic system to surfacing sewage. *Press releases are infrequent for the onsite program and operations and monitoring. Ads are used for classes but most information is provided via the web and direct contact with clients. **Septic system monitoring and maintenance information has now been incorporated into the site specific reminders and is simply updated as information changes. ***The fee was adopted in November of 2016 so this measure is no longer needed. JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH – PLANNED PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2018 ONSITE SEWAGE (OSS) and SEPTIC OPERATIONS & MONITORING (O&M) PROGRAMS 3 SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/SERVICE ISSUES: Tracking is done with existing data systems to evaluate effectiveness of permitting and monitoring programs. Replacement of the Tidemark database is anticipated in 2018 or 2019. Staff from Eh and DCD have been evaluating permitting databases during 2017. A major considerations for a new program is accessibility on the web and reporting capability for program efficiency and effectiveness. Funding for annual program costs will be established in 2018. The O&M fee per septic system that is collected via the property tax statement will fund all activities associated with the program. Implementation is focused on: sending site specific inspection reminders, follow-up with homeowners on inspection results, training and providing resources to homeowners. Staff follow-up with homeowners on inspection results is critical to the understanding of how systems work and why maintenance and proper operation is important. Previously unknown systems continue to be identified via monitoring inspections, pump reports and sanitary surveys. Outreach:  Septics 101 and 201 classes spring and fall  Incentive/rebate program to assist homeowners in completing inspections and installing access risers and monitoring ports  Provide low interest loan information for those with systems that are not functioning properly  Maintain current information on the website regarding classes and other resources for homeowners and professionals  Provide training to professionals in the onsite sewage field  Update brochures and pamphlets Permit activity continues to increase – both new and repairs/replacements. Staffing is adjusted to accommodate changes to improve permit turn-around time and maintain communication with customers. PROGRAM STATISTICS PERMITS 2010 Actual 2011 Actual 2012 Actual 2013 Actual 2014 Actual 2015 Actual 2016 Actual 2017 Projected 2018 Planned # of septic permit applications submitted 1 158 118 147 148 156 163 205 240 240 # of Monitoring Inspections/evaluations of existing system (EES) 463 469 511 641 781 1060 1941 1850 1900 # of systems repaired/upgraded 37 31 43 40 46 43 42 35 40 % of system failures less than 5 years in use 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 % of failures/major maintenance identified by Professionals <2% <2% <2% <2% <4% 5% 6% 6% 6% # of complaints received* 52 36 20 60 52 109 67 62 65 # of complaints closed** 33 25 26 25 43 42 166 88 95 # of Installers Certified 37 36 34 31 31 27 27 30 30 OPERATION, MAINTANANCE & MONITORING 2010 Actual 2011 Actual 2012 Actual 2013 Actual 2014 Actual 2015 Actual 2016 Actual 2017 Projected 2018 Planned JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH – PLANNED PERFORMANCE MEASURES 2018 ONSITE SEWAGE (OSS) and SEPTIC OPERATIONS & MONITORING (O&M) PROGRAMS 4 % of existing systems receiving monitoring inspection. 2 3.40% 3.40% 3.80% 4.7% 5.1% 7.8% 14.4% 15% 18% # of previously unknown systems having a monitoring inspection 10+ 594 15+ 854 14+934 204 69 107 19 + 834 24 + 464 20 + 404 % of monitoring inspections resulting in some maintenance needed. 56%5 68%5 59%5 63%5 63%5 64% 57% 58% 60% EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 2010 Actual 2011 Actual 2012 Actual 2013 Actual 2014 Actual 2015 Actual 2016 Actual 2017 Projected 2018 Planned # of educational workshops 19 4 9 20 4 10 7 6 6 # of workshop participants – live + online 355 156 220 410 131 354 237 + 354 500 500 * Includes COM cases created when violation identified during a sanitary survey. **The number of Closed complaints can be greater than Received because cases from previous years may have been closed during the current year. 1Number of applications does not equal approved permits 2 Based on estimated 13,500 systems in the County (from the Local Sewage Management Plan) 4The first number indicates systems that were identified and observed via regular monitoring inspections. The second number indicates systems that were identified (and had some level of observation) via sanitary surveys or pump report and are sites where no previous records exist. 5 Includes inspections where the only maintenance item identified was that the tank needed to be pumped. Previous to 2010 did not include this maintenance item. 231 169 158 118 147 148 156 163 205 15 9 10 15 15 10 8 16 19 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 SEPTIC CASES CREATED Septic Permit Applications Monitoring Inspection Only 295 255 463 469 511 641 781 1060 1941 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Monitoring Inspections Completed