Septic to Sewer

There can be four major costs in converting from a septic system to sewer service: the public sewer infrastructure, side sewer construction, septic system abandonment and connection fees. The estimates shown are approximate costs for connection in 2015, and should be adjusted accordingly for later years.

There are various loan and grant programs available through the City of Olympia and Thurston County with differing requirements. Learn more about each below.

• Owner-Occupant Rehab Program 
• Investor Owned Rehab Program
• Thurston County Septic System Repair Assistance

Currently, if your property is within 300 feet of an existing gravity public sewer or adjacent to an existing STEP (septic tank effluent pump) sewer, the City will require you to connect to the sewer when your existing system fails or if you are making improvements to your home that would require an expansion of your septic system. The City does not plan to make the conversion of properly functioning septic systems to the public sewer system mandatory. That may change if recovery plans developed by the State of Washington identify the conversion of septic systems as a required action to clean up impaired water bodies within the City of Olympia.

• It may be required. If your property is within 300 feet of an existing gravity public sewer or directly adjacent to an existing STEP sewer, the City will require you to connect to the sewer when your existing system fails or if you need to expand your septic system to make substantial improvements to your home.
• Increased market value/ marketability. Converting from septic to sewer can increase the market value of your property. Also, since septic systems are unpopular with many homebuyers, a home with septic may be less marketable at time of sale, as compared to similar properties with sewer connections.
• Expansion options. A septic system may limit the ability to expand your house or build over portions of your property.

Once connected to the public sewer system, a property owner is required to pay a monthly sewer utility bill. This bill covers the operation and maintenance costs for collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater, and renovation of the sewers and wastewater treatment facilities. The 2015 sewer rate is $55.73 per month. Sewer rates are set by City Council and the LOTT Cleanwater Alliance annually. State law requires customers to be notified in advance of future increases and allowed an opportunity to be heard and protest.

More than 600 properties currently served by septic systems are adjacent to and eligible to connect to a public sewer. You can reference this Sewer Infrastructure Map to see if sewer service may be available in your neighborhood.

To determine the actual availability, restrictions, and requirements for connection to the sewer contact Wastewater Utility staff at 360.753.8562 or publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us

When an existing public sewer is available, or a new sewer extension has been constructed follow the steps in appropriate guide below to connect to the public sewer.

• Gravity Sewer Service Connection
• Grinder Pump Sewer Service Connection
• STEP Sewer Service Connection

If you are not sure which type of service applies to you, please contact Wastewater Utility Staff at 360.753.8562 or publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us

• Waiver of the City Wastewater General Facilities Charge (GFC): This incentive is intended to motivate the owners of properties where the sewer is currently available as well as properties benefiting from sewer extension projects to connect to the public sewer. The City’s GFC ($3,199 in 2013) will be waived for properties that abandon a septic system and connect to public sewer within a 2-year time period following formal notification of sewer availability. The City will notify property owners by mail when the sewer becomes available and when the GFC waiver will expire for their property. If you know that the sewer is currently available to your property, there is no need to wait for notice from the City to benefit from the GFC waiver.
• Special Sewer Connection Charge: Properties converting from a septic system as a result of a neighborhood sewer extension project are eligible to pay their apportioned infrastructure cost through a "special sewer connection charge" to be billed by the City. The charge will only be applicable to the payment of public infrastructure costs. The charge is a flat monthly sum collected over a period of time the length of which would vary based upon the amount due (including interest based upon the bonded rate or the Consumer Price Index). The fixed monthly payment amount is based on the year the payments begin, with a base amount of $200 set in 2009, adjusted each year based on the Consumer Price Index. Property owners will enter an agreement with the City that places a lien against the property for the apportioned cost and agreeing to pay the special charge monthly. Payment in full at the time of a property sale is required. Use of this payment plan is optional.
• Fixed estimate of Project Costs: If a property within a neighborhood sewer extension project area connects to the sewer within one year of project completion, the property owner will pay the apportionment infrastructure cost based on the lesser of either the estimated or actual cost of construction. This is intended to help property owners plan for financing.
• Discount on Public Sewer Cost: This incentive is also available only in conjunction with a neighborhood sewer extension project as described above. The City will discount public infrastructure apportionment infrastructure costs, over a threshold value, by 50%. (For example, if the infrastructure costs were $30,000 and the threshold value were $20,000, the City would reduce the cost recovery by $5,000 or half of the cost over $20,000.) The threshold value was $20,000 in 2009 and is adjusted annually for inflation.

The City of Olympia, like most utilities, has long had the policy that development pays for the installation of utilities. Typically, a developer or one or more property owners working together have financed public sewer extensions in the City of Olympia. However, the City is constructing a limited number of Neighborhood Sewer Extension Projects as part of its Septic to Sewer program.

Sewer Extension Financing Scenarios

• Developer: In the case of an established neighborhood with septic systems, the original developer may be long gone, but sometimes a new developer needs to build a sewer through the neighborhood to get to an undeveloped site. If it is affordable, the developer may use private funding to build the new public sewer extension and potentially have the City collect a reimbursement from property owners of existing homes when they connect to the new sewer main. The reimbursement amount would be a proportional share of the cost of constructing the new sewer main.
• Other Private Installers: Much like a developer, one or more neighbors can pool their private funds to construct a new sewer main to serve their properties. Again, the City may collect a reimbursement from other property owners when they connect their homes to that new sewer main and disburse the funds to the original installer(s).
• City: See Neighborhood Sewer Extension projects below.

The City has funding available to construct a limited number of neighborhood sewer extension projects. Property owners that choose to connect with a new sewer project will be required to reimburse the City some portion of the cost of constructing the sewer infrastructure. In neighborhoods selected for a sewer extension project, the City will:

• Provide a fixed cost up front prior to construction to help property owners prepare for financing;
• Provide a payment plan ($200 per month) for properties that connect to the sewers that are constructed, and:
• Cover payment of half of the sewer infrastructure cost over $20,000.

Neighborhood sewer extension projects will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Neighborhood interest and commitment;
• Occurrences of septic system failures;
• Proximity to surface water and wellhead protection areas; and
• Conditions which contribute to the likelihood of system failures as as the age of septic systems, poor soil conditions, and shallow groundwater.

The City continues to seek neighborhoods interested in sewer extension projects. The key factor in selecting a sewer extension project will be the neighborhood's level of interest and commitment. Sufficient interest is needed to make a project cost effective and successful.

Most public sewer mains can be designed and completed within a year. If significant street repaving is involved, that work may be delayed until the weather is warm enough to allow the paving materials to be installed properly.

In urgent situations (e.g. septic failure), a public sewer can be designed and constructed in less than three months.

A property’s side sewer should connect to the sewer main in the street on which the property fronts. To facilitate the orderly extension of sewer mains, a side sewer may not extend across an adjacent property to connect to a sewer main. There are some extraordinary circumstances, particularly where sewer mains are located within easements and not the right-of-way, in which side sewers may be permitted to be installed within easements across adjacent properties.

Maintenance is key to preventing the failure of your septic system. If your system has been properly designed, sited, and installed, the rest is up to you. Pump regularly, avoid excess water use, and watch what you put down the drain and flush down the toilet. For more operations and maintenance tips, visit the Thurston County Environmental Health Program's website at www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehoss/.

Signs of a failing septic system may include slow draining toilets and drains, an odor of sewage, and wet areas on or near the drain field.