Clallam County commissioners have given Carlsborg a plan to deal with its wastewater.
Commissioners formalized their intent to adopt the Carlsborg Wastewater Facilities Plan, one that outlines delivery of wastewater from the Carlsborg Urban Growth Area to Sequim’s Water Reclamation Facility, on March 10.
The commissioners’ intent to adopt the facilities plan was a necessary step to continue progress toward the construction of the sewer collection system because Department of Ecology officials have to ensure the construction plans are consistent with an approved sewerage general plan, Bob Martin, Clallam County Public Works Administrative director, said.
Commissioners intend to adopt the plan as the Sewerage General Plan for the UGA and incorporate it into the county’s Comprehensive Plan update and Carlsborg Capital Facilities Plan.
According to the resolution, waiting for formal adoption could delay construction. The county needs approval from the Department of Ecology before it can begin construction of a wastewater collection system.
Martin hopes to get the construction project out to bid by late summer or early fall.
“The collection system is about 70 percent designed,” Martin told the county commissioners during their weekly work session Feb. 23. “The most important and immediate thing ahead of us is our connection policy. Completion of the collection system depends on getting more user information.”
Knowing the location and number of residents ready to connect to the public sewer system will allow Martin to better know where additional sewer lines need incorporated into the design or where easements need negotiated, he said.
Incentivize versus require
In preparation for a sewer use ordinance, Martin drafted a proposed connection policies and fees document listing the options for residents within the Carlsborg UGA.
After receiving input from the members of the Carlsborg Community Advisory Council, Board of County Commissioners and Sequim Association of Realtors, Martin hopes to have an ordinance before the county commissioners by the end of the month.
By developing the proposed connection policies and fees, Martin was tasked with balancing incentives to encourage early connection with required connection to ensure the system is economically viable and serves its goal toward environmental and public health.
“I personally believe the incentive route is the right way to go,” county commissioner Mike Chapman told Martin at the work session. “The standard line of government is that we’re going to require it and then everyone will fall in line and that’s just big government planning, but I believe in an incentivization that makes it economically feasible for people to do it and I think you’ll get the same result.”
Given Chapman’s concerns, Martin returned to the drawing board to revise the draft connection policies and fees.
“I think the proposal on the table now does incentivize,” he said.
Draft connection policies, fees
To connect to the sewer system costs $8,000, but drops to $500 for those that apply for connection within two years of the operational date of the system, according to the draft connection policies and fees.
Additionally, those that apply before the collection system is constructed and are within 200 feet of the sewer main, county officials will install the sewer lateral needed from the sewer main to the property line at no cost to the property owner.
Although property owners within 200 feet of a main sewer line shall be required to connect within one year of change of ownership, connection is otherwise not required within a specific time period unless a septic system fails.
Once the Carlsborg sewer system is operational, no new septic systems are permitted, however Martin included hardship exceptions for both septic system use and connection requirements.
Following the approval of a sewer use ordinance, Martin and his staff intend to mail connection application packages to residents within the Carlsborg UGA, Martin said.
Reach Alana Linderoth at alinderoth@sequimgazette.com.
