Walla Walla County health staff outline planned updates to on‑site sewage rules; property‑transfer inspections set for 2027

Rick Dawson, environmental health division manager for Walla Walla County Department of Community Health, told county commissioners during a March workshop that the county must update local code to align with changes the Washington State Board of Health adopted in January 2024 and that one state requirement — property‑transfer sewage inspections — is scheduled for implementation in 2027.

Those inspections, Dawson said, would require a sewage system to be inspected and shown satisfactory whenever a property with an on‑site system is sold. “There were ... an April 1 deadline for the full implementation of the rule with the exception of one section, which is a thing called property transfer inspections, which will take place in 2027,” Dawson said.

Why it matters: The proposed changes affect homebuyers, sellers, installers and food‑service operators across Walla Walla County. Commissioners were told the rule changes will change who may design or maintain systems, add certification requirements for operation and maintenance personnel, and could require additional county staff or expanded use of certified private contractors if the county elects to perform transfer inspections.

Dawson said the state rules were phased: some items were immediate product‑approval changes, installer licensing changes were phased in earlier, and the property‑transfer inspection requirement was delayed to give local programs time to plan. He said Walla Walla County has about 7,000–8,000 on‑site sewage systems and that, assuming an average home sale once every six years, the county might see roughly 1,200–1,300 transfer inspections annually when the requirement is active.

The workshop covered several specific local‑code updates Dawson is proposing:

- Homeowner installations: Dawson recommended keeping the county restriction that permits homeowner installations only for simple gravity flow systems. He said the county’s code has long limited more complex designs to professionals and that the rule change in state code adds clarity about sensitive sites and shoreline setbacks.

- Installer and O&M certification: The state rule expands certification for operation and maintenance personnel. Dawson told commissioners Walla Walla County will have to certify such personnel or use an outside certifier; staff are discussing a memorandum of understanding with the Washington On‑site Sewage Association to provide training and testing in Eastern Washington.

- Food service establishments: Dawson proposed language requiring food‑service operators with on‑site systems to provide proof of a recent inspection or septic‑tank pumping as part of their annual food‑license renewal. “For those that have on‑site sewage systems that they need to provide ... documentation that they’ve either had the septic system pumped or inspected by a qualified person,” he said.

- Lot‑size, subdivision and treatment technology changes: The state rule adds requirements for usable land area for a permitted on‑site system and allows lot‑size reductions when advanced treatment technologies (for example, nitrate treatment) are used. Dawson said the state raised minimum area requirements for some poor soil types (noting type 5 soils are common in the county) and aligned subdivision language so pre‑existing legal lots of record could be permitted where they meet all technical criteria.

On enforcement and reporting, Dawson said pumpers in the county are required to report pumping activity to the health department; currently reporting is inconsistent but could improve with a new portal and with operation and maintenance certification that requires reporting. He also said allowing property‑transfer inspections gives local public health a mechanism to verify maintenance requirements that are otherwise handled by an 'honor system.'

Staffing and program options: Commissioners asked whether the county would need to hire additional staff to perform transfer inspections. Dawson said there are two models other health departments use: certify private professionals to perform and report inspections, or have the health department perform the inspections directly. “If we were to do actual physical inspections, we would probably have to add at least one staff member,” he said.

Next steps: Dawson said the presentation was a workshop step and that the county must schedule a public hearing to allow comment before adopting local code changes. He and county counsel are continuing to coordinate with the state Department of Health on its review comments before finalizing county language.

Quotes in context: “Property transfer inspections … will take place in 2027,” Dawson said. He also told commissioners that “there’s roughly 7,000 or 8,000 on‑site sewage systems in Walla Walla County. Average home sells once every six years ... you can figure 1,200 or 1,300 ... is probably a better figure for how many that would need to be done per year.”

The board did not vote on changes during the workshop; commissioners asked staff to return with a draft ordinance for public hearing scheduling and to supply more detail on staffing implications and implementation options.

Ending: The Department of Community Health will work with county counsel and the state to finalize proposed code language and to schedule a public hearing; commissioners and staff said they expect additional briefings next year as the state’s phased implementation moves closer to 2027.