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Department of Ecology News Release - August 22, 2006
06-163
OLYMPIA - A $7.5 million program to help Puget Sound homeowners fix their failing septic systems over the next year will help beaches, shellfish beds and streams stay clean in the future.
The grant and low-interest loan program is part of Governor Chris Gregoire's long-term effort to help protect and restore Puget Sound. The money will help homeowners in the 12 counties that border the Sound repair or replace failing systems, or improve existing systems.
"Puget Sound and Hood Canal are at a critical stage and by working together, we can help our neighbors eliminate sewage as a significant source of pollution," said Governor Gregoire. "The legacy we leave our children and grandchildren must be a Puget Sound that is swimmable, diggable and fishable."
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is providing the grants and loans to municipal and tribal governments. The public entities will have a choice of making the funds available to individual homeowners through a local government or tribal-run loan program or with the assistance of non-profit and private lending institutions.
There are about 472,000 septic tank systems in the Puget Sound region that are not connected to sewage treatment plants. Many are aging and in disrepair, allowing human waste to reach the Sound.
This pollution also has forced the closure of shellfish beds to protect public health which also creates economic hardship for shellfish growers, one of Washington's oldest industries.
Since 1980, about 30,000 acres of state commercial shellfish beds have been closed to harvest and Hood Canal has an expanding dead zone, caused by raw sewage from failing septic systems and other pollution.
Governor Gregoire created the Puget Sound Partnership, a public-private partnership tasked with developing an aggressive, 15-year plan to solve Puget Sound's most vexing environmental problems. The Partnership is made up of business, tribal, environmental and government leaders. They will present recommendations to the governor in November.
Details regarding the grant and low-interest loan program to fix failing septic systems in the Puget Sound region (includes Clallam, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties):
Municipal and tribal governments have until Sept. 30 to submit applications requesting low-interest loans and grants to Ecology.
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Contact: Curt Hart, public information manager, 360-407-6990; or mobile, 360-480-7908
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/funding/OSS.htm
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
