Spokane County, Washington septic permits and requirements

Permitting authority

Spokane Regional Health District — On-Site Sewage System Program

SRHD On-Site Sewage: 509-324-1560 ext. 1; 1101 W. College Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.

Washington local-health-jurisdiction framework

Washington State Department of Health places property-level onsite sewage permitting and management with local health jurisdictions. Local agencies review and approve OSS siting, design, installation, repair, and operation under Chapter 246-272A WAC and may adopt local requirements that are more protective than the statewide minimums.

SRHD permits and inspects systems below 3,500 gallons per day

Spokane Regional Health District issues permits for new onsite sewage systems and changes to existing systems serving single-family homes, small businesses, and apartment buildings when the design flow is below 3,500 gallons per day. SRHD reviews the proposal for compliance, issues the permit, and inspects the installed system.

Renewable operational permits

After installation, Spokane County onsite sewage systems receive renewable operational permits with one-year or three-year terms depending on system type. Required operation-and-maintenance inspection and maintenance records must be completed before permit renewal.

Annual or three-year inspection reporting

SRHD requires owners of onsite sewage systems, including holding tanks, to submit operation-and-maintenance inspection records annually or every three years depending on the system. Owners remain responsible for ensuring the required evaluation is completed and reported.

Installer approval is local

Onsite sewage installers must obtain approval from the local health officer before providing installation services in the jurisdiction. SRHD permits installers annually and requires its application process, applicable fees, installer test, and current Washington contractor-license documentation.

Official sources

SepticScope summarizes public-agency information for planning purposes. The permitting agency's current instructions control if they differ from this guide.