Septic Solutions LLC Alerts Washington Property Owners to Proposed Septic Setback Rule Changes Ahead of September 17 Comment Deadline

Septic Solutions LLC is alerting Washington property owners to proposed amendments to WAC 246-272A-0210 that would reduce minimum separation distances between septic systems and surface water used as a drinking water source. Written public comments are open through September 17, 2026, with a public hearing

Septic Solutions LLC Alerts Washington Property Owners to Proposed Septic Setback Rule Changes Ahead of September 17 Comment Deadline

Washington State Board of Health proposal would revise minimum separation distances between septic systems and surface water used as a drinking water source.

ARLINGTON, Wash., Sep. 11, 2026 — Septic Solutions LLC is alerting Washington property owners to a proposed change in state septic rules that could revise how some on-site sewage systems are located near surface water used for drinking water.

The Washington State Board of Health filed the proposed amendments to WAC 246-272A-0210 on July 21, 2026. Written public comments are open through 11:59 p.m. on September 17, 2026, and a public hearing is scheduled for October 1 in Bremerton with virtual participation also available.

Current Washington rules require a 200-foot separation from surface water used as a public drinking water source to the edge of a septic drainfield and reserve area. The current minimum is also 200 feet to a sewage tank or distribution box and 100 feet to a building sewer or nonperforated distribution pipe.

The proposed rule would establish a 100-foot setback from surface water used as drinking water, public or nonpublic, to the drainfield and reserve area. The proposed distances would be 50 feet to the sewage tank or distribution box and 50 feet to the building sewer or nonperforated distribution pipe.

“A setback may look like one number on a site plan, but it can determine whether a septic design fits the usable part of a property,” said Art Nikolin, Operations Manager at Septic Solutions LLC. “Property owners near rivers or other surface water should know this proposal is active, but they should not start planning around the proposed distances as if they are already law.”

The current setback provisions took effect after the State Board of Health revised Chapter 246-272A WAC in 2024. The Board increased the separation for surface water used as a public drinking water source to protect source water around drinking water intakes. Local health jurisdictions later reported that the wording produced a broader effect than intended.

The current rule can apply the 200-foot setback along miles of a river system even when a property is far from the location where drinking water is actually withdrawn.

A November 2025 rulemaking petition raised the issue after the setback affected development of existing lots along the Pend Oreille River system. The State Board of Health accepted the petition and initiated new rulemaking in March 2026. The Board says the current proposal is intended to address those unintended consequences while maintaining public-health protections. The proposal would also separate surface-water setbacks from drinking-water spring setbacks in the state table and make several technical corrections elsewhere in Chapter 246-272A WAC.

Septic setbacks are part of the site constraints considered when a new or replacement system is designed. Soil conditions, groundwater, the available reserve area and nearby water sources can affect where the tank and drainfield may be placed.

Septic Solutions explains those site considerations in its homeowner guide, What Is a Septic System and How It Works. The company notes that proximity to surface water is one of the factors that can influence system design in Washington.

“You cannot choose a septic location based only on where there is an open yard,” Nikolin said. “The system has to fit the site and the approved design. Water sources, property boundaries and the reserve area all matter before excavation starts.”

The company says owners considering construction, redevelopment or septic replacement should work from the rules currently being applied by their local health jurisdiction rather than assume the proposed distances will become final. Local health officers also retain authority under WAC 246-272A-0210 to require greater minimum separations when site conditions create a higher potential for contamination or pollution.

“A statewide minimum is not a guarantee that every property can use that exact distance,” Nikolin said. “Site conditions and local review still matter. The right approach is to confirm what applies to the property before committing to a layout or construction plan.”

About Septic Solutions LLC
Septic Solutions LLC provides septic pumping, inspections, installation, repair, maintenance, drainfield service, and 24/7 emergency response across King, Snohomish, Skagit, Island, and Whatcom counties. The company is based in Arlington and lists additional contact locations in Mill Creek, Redmond, and Mount Vernon. Septic Solutions advertises same-day septic pumping, free estimates, and extended workmanship and installation warranties. Homeowners can request an estimate through septicsolutionsllc.com.

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Company: Septic Solutions LLC
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Website: septicsolutionsllc.com
Phone: (425) 553-3422
Title: Septic Solutions LLC