Poverty Bay-Vashon Island Septic Maintenance Rebate Program
The Septic Rebate program is for inspections and maintenance that was performed between July 1, 2021 and March 15, 2023. Applications will be accepted until the end of March. Due to a high volume of applications, rebates will be reviewed and issued through mid-April.
King County is offering a rebate of up to $450 for septic maintenance activities performed in the project focus areas of shoreline properties of Vashon-Maury Island and Poverty Bay. KCD is administering the rebate for the County. Eligible maintenance includes maintenance inspections, riser installation, and pumping. You can receive $200 toward a septic system inspection, $50 toward a riser installation (up to 2 per property), and/or $200 toward septic tank pumping. All work must be performed by a King County certified provider.
Have Questions? Need help? You can email oss@kingcd.org or call 425-773-1668.
If you need language assistance, please contact ehossinformation@kingcounty.gov.
- Spanish: “Si necesitas asistencia de lenguage, por favor contacte a ehossinformation@kingcounty.gov“
- Korean: “한국어 도움이 필요하신 분은 ehossinformation@kingcounty.gov 로 연락주십시오.”
- Vietnamese: “Nếu quý vị cần hỗ trợ bằng tiếng Việt hãy email ehossinformation@kingcounty.gov
To Qualify for a Rebate
To qualify for a rebate, you need to complete four easy steps.
- Make sure you are at a qualifying address. Zoom and scroll or use the search function on the map below to see if your address qualifies for the rebate. Blue icons indicate qualifying sites. Search will return the nearest qualifying address. If it does not return your address, then you do not qualify for the rebate. If you are on septic and in the project area, but don’t see your address listed as qualified, please contact King County On-site Sewage System Program at 206-477-8050. Some addresses are listed as “Qualifies – Sampling Required” – these addresses must agree to allow King County water samplers to collect samples of freshwater flows on their property to qualify for the rebate. This process is non-intrusive and if King County does find high levels of fecal pollution, they will work with the landowner to try and fix the issue by providing financial and technical assistance.
*Most properties on or near a stream or marine shoreline require sampling. We try to keep the map up-to-date, but your property may require sampling to qualify for the rebate even if not listed on the map. Please contact King County On-site Sewage System Program at 206-477-8050 to confirm your property’s sampling requirement. - Complete septic system maintenance and submit a copy of the invoice. Maintenance must be performed between July 1, 2021 and March 15, 2023. All septic work must be performed by a King County certified provider. Funding for rebates is limited and are on a first-come, first-serve basis until funding is exhausted.
- Complete a brief online course to learn about how to continue your septic system care.
- Fill out this form to apply for your rebate. The form will ask you to confirm that you have have a valid invoice to submit and completed the online course.
Once you submit the rebate form, your request for a rebate will be reviewed. If all items have been completed, then your reimbursement will be mailed to you. If any items are missing, you may be contacted to complete the incomplete items.
If you have general questions about the rebate, please email oss@kingcd.org
We’d Like to Hear From You
You can help us improve this Septic Maintenance Rebate Program by taking a brief survey to provide feedback on your experience. We’d like to hear from you whether you did or did not participate in the program.
Why is this project important?
We are working to keep the water clean in Puget Sound for the health of your community. We are focusing on shoreline properties of Vashon-Maury Island and Poverty Bay as we know the fecal pollution sources from these areas can impact the water quality, shellfish harvesting, and water recreational activities. Find out more about how you can maintain your septic system and keep the water clean in our focus areas!
Septic System Resources: Brochures and resources – King County
Septic System Care: Taking care of your septic system – King County
Healthy Beach Project in Vashon-Maury Island: Healthy Beach Project – King County
Poverty Bay Shellfish Protection District: Pollution Identification and Correction Program – King County
What is a septic system?
Septic systems are underground wastewater treatment systems that homeowners own and operate, which are common in areas without centralized sewer systems. Septic systems use a combination of nature and time-tested technology to treat wastewater produced by bathrooms, kitchen drains, and laundry. Newer septic systems can use special technologies to make water very clean before it goes into your yard and our environment.
Septic system design and size can vary widely due to a combination of factors, including household size, soil type, site slope, lot size, and proximity to sensitive water bodies. For information visit Types of Septic Systems on epa.gov.
Why maintenance is important:
- Saves You Money – Regular maintenance costs a few hundred dollars every few years. This is a bargain compared to the cost of repairing or replacing a failing septic system, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
- Keeps You and Your Family Healthy – Household wastewater is loaded with bacteria, and viruses. Overlooking (or delaying) maintenance poses harmful health hazards that can lead to illness or disease. A properly functioning septic system maintenance helps remove these pollutants so well water and nearby waterbodies aren’t contaminated.
- Protects the Environment – Failing septic systems release bacteria, viruses, and other materials that eventually enter streams, rivers, lakes, Puget Sound, and the ocean. The pollutants harm local ecosystems and can harm native plants, fish, and shellfish, and harming the people who eat them.
- Protects Your Property Value – An unusable septic system, or one in disrepair, lowers your property value and poses a potentially costly legal liability in repairing or replacing the system, which costs around $15,000 to $40,000. Disclosing a septic system failure is a seller’s duty (RCW chapter 64.06).
Visit Washington State Department of Health Septic Systems for more information and helpful videos. Or contact King County On-site Sewage System Program at 206-477-8050.
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement PC-01J18001 to the Washington State Department of Health. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.