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King County public health outlines plan to expand Marine Recovery Area to all shoreline properties
Summary
King County Public Health proposed expanding the Marine Recovery Area (MRA) to every shoreline property on Vashon‑Maury Island, describing inspection schedules, sample results and rebate support; residents pressed for more targeted sampling and raised cost and implementation concerns.
King County Public Health staff presented a proposal to the Vashon‑Maury Community Council on July 16 to expand the county’s Marine Recovery Area (MRA) to include all shoreline properties on Vashon‑Maury Island. Megan Jackson of King County Public Health said the original MRA created in 2006 covered roughly 250 properties and that, over the last 10–15 years, 53 systems in that area have failed. She said the department’s analysis finds shoreline water quality and the risk of pollution are the primary drivers for considering expansion.
Jackson told the council that some recent shoreline water samples show bacteria well above screening levels — she cited examples of 2,400 and 130,000 colony‑forming units per 100 milliliters, compared with a commonly used threshold of about 200. “We do consistently see these samples that do have high bacteria in them,” she said, and described follow‑up procedures including human‑source testing and dye tests to confirm whether a failing on‑site sewage system is the source.
The county proposed a risk‑based inspection regime if the MRA is expanded: an initial, more thorough inspection within three years of designation; routine inspections on a schedule driven by system type (gravity systems every three years; more complex systems annually); and targeted additional county inspections for some older gravity systems (roughly every nine years). Public Health said it would offer a rebate up to $500 for initial MRA inspections and pursue other funding partnerships to help property owners cover replacement costs when systems fail. Jackson described phased implementation and said the department is considering a 6–12 month delay to build local inspection capacity and outreach materials.
The presentation emphasized that marine (offshore) water stations are sampled monthly but that shoreline testing is done on a project basis and thus coverage is uneven. Public Health framed expansion as a way to collect the information the State Department of Health has requested and to reduce public‑health risk where contaminant sources can be linked to human sewage.
Next steps described by Public Health include briefing the King County Board of Health in October and a tentative county vote in November, with the earliest practical implementation timelines discussed for 2027. Jackson repeatedly invited community input on implementation timing, rebate design and alternative approaches such as targeted or one‑time islandwide surveys before mandatory inspections.
