Fall City Wastewater Treatment Options

1. Fall City Wastewater Treatment Options Presented By: Lisamari Emery, Kaelen Brodie, Monditza Fournier Environmental Law and Regulations June 6, 2012

2. Issue at Hand • The septic systems in the commercial district of Fall City are failing and have been for 10+ years • Potential sources of fecal coliform / E.coli to Snoqualmie River • Expansion of existing septic systems is not possible as most septic tanks are beneath the buildings

3. Failing Septic Systems Building with Septic Underneath this Failing Septic Field

4. Further issues…. • Public opinion opposed to upgrading to sewer for fear of big development • There is no governing body in Fall City • Funding sources for any type of upgrade have not been identified

5. Project at a Glance • Established client – King County Council • Identified stakeholders • Identified possible sources of funding

6. Project at a Glance • Outlined possible options and their implications for King County, Fall City residents and business owners • Tested Snoqualmie River • Created a report for King County which included a list of recommendations for moving forward

7. Details of Fall City • Fall City is in Unincorporated King County and very rural • No government ie; city council, mayor, elected officials • The town is universally on individual septic systems • No sewer to treat wastewater • No sewer district to manage wastewater and issues relating to wastewater

8. Fall City • The Snoqualmie River is adjacent to downtown Fall City • The commercial district abuts Hwy. 202, the river is next to Hwy. 202

9. Similar Projects - Carnation • Carnation • Health Department declared emergency • Ground water contamination • City constructed sewer lines to connect to MBR system constructed by county. • Outreach – a lot – 24 hour phone line, public meetings, publications, etc. • Secured more than $26 million, $10 million in grants

10. Vashon • Septic tank waste pumped to treatment plant • Pretreatment to remove garbage • Bacteria removes contaminants, which fall to the bottom with solids and turned into biosolids. • Water gets disinfected with ultraviolet light, then discharged 2,800 ft offshore. • Project funded with loans from the Public Works Trust Fund and the WSDOE, as well as a grant from the EPA.

11. Possible Stake Holders • Fall City business owners & residents • Washington State Public Works • King County • Washington State Department of Ecology • Environmental Protection Agency • Washington State Department of Health

12. Possible Stake Holders • Fall City Water, Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer • Snoqualmie Tribe • Washington State Department of Natural Resources • Wastewater • Fish & Wildlife • Washington State Department of Archeology & Historical Preservation • Department of Transportation

13. Proposed Options • Do nothing – Commercial districts languishes & possibly becomes health hazard • Sewer tightline to existing sewer district –Sammamish Sewer & Water is open but FC community is not! • Membrane BioReactor system - controls/prevents large scale development. • Keeps costs low • Twin River Golf Course is ideal for drain field • Problem of zoning vs. technological options

14. Septic Options • Septic upgrade • 5 options considered by Gray & Osborne • Membrane BioReactor – recommended by John Smyth of King County Wastewater, Mark Cross of Gray & Osborne Engineering & Larry Fay of King County Public Health • Can handle up to 100,000 gallons per day • Produces Class A water that can be used in landscape (Twin Rivers Golf Course) or crop irrigation (Fall City is a farming community) and in certain cases stream flow augmentation. • Requires less land acquisition • Capital cost – 4.7 M • Operating cost/year - $190k

15. MBR Option

16. Governing Body and Public Agency • King County is the governing body • Need public agency to manage wastewater • Options: • Annex to Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District • Create new Local Utility District • Annex to Fall City Water District – they are somewhat open to this idea

17. Possible Agencies Involved • State Health Department (depends on flow – under 100,000 gpd) • State Department of Ecology (depends on flow – over 100,000 gpd) • Department of Natural Resources Wastewater Division • King County

18. Funding Sources • Funding for Capital project 4.7M(not annual operating costs 190k/year) • Funds can be in the form of grants or loans • Federal, State & Private/non-profit • John Wilson of Gray & Osborne - competition is high and most forms of funding are loans with low interest rates • Think creatively and outside of the box • Have a really good grant writer!

19. Funding Federal Sources • EPA, HUD, Agriculture, Commerce • EPA • Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program • Provided for by Clean Water Act of 1972 • Funded by EPA capitalization grant, state matching funds & repayment on past loans • Provides low interest & forgivable loans for wastewater treatment construction & nonpoint source pollution control projects

20. Funding • EPA • Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant Program • State required to match 40% • Non-point source pollution control projects to improve water quality (similar to State Centennial Grant Program)

21. Funding • HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT • Community Development Block Grant 1974 • Designed to help low income communities • 70% of funds must be used for activities that benefit low income communities • Must have community participation • Local meetings, opportunities to review and comment on proposals & performance, must receive answers to concerns

22. Funding • HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT • Section 108 loan program • Federally guaranteed Loan provision of Community Development Block Grant • Designed to encourageprivate economic activity & confidence to invest in distressed areas • 20 year repayment period

23. Funding • HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT • Economic Development Initiative Grant • Provided through Housing & Community Development Act 1974 • Can only be used in conjunction with 108 loan • Reduces risk of Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program • May use to buy down interest rate or pay off capital costs or use as security against 108 loan

24. Funding • DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants • Authorized by section 306 of the Consolidated Farm & Rural Development Act of 1926 • Offered through Rural Utility Services • Provided to applicants that cannot obtain funds from other sources at reasonable rates • Purpose of developing safe & affordable wastewater systems • Preference given to areas with population less than 5500 • Loans are 40 year term • Grants may be up to 75% of project cost

25. Funding • DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE • Water and Waste Revolving Fund Grants • Authorized through 2002 Farm Security & Rural Investment act • Offered though Rural Development • Grants used to assist communities with less than 10,000 residents with wastewater systems • Up to $100,000 for pre-development costs repaid over 10 years

26. Funding • DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION • Economic Development Grants for Public Works and Development Facilities • Authorized through the Public Works & Economic Development Act of 1965 • Assist in the construction of public works & development facilities • For the purpose of creation or retention of permanent jobs in areas experiencing substantial economic distress

27. Funding • State Sources • Centennial Grant Program • Funded primarily with Building Construction Account • Water quality infrastructure & nonpoint source pollution projects • Nonpoint – on-site septic repair & replacement, education & outreach • Focused on financially distressed communities

28. Funding • DEPARTMENT OF ARCHEOLOGY & HISTORIC PRESERVATION • Federal Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit (1978) • Building must be income producing & listed on National Register of Historic Places • Project cost must be equal to or greater than the adjusted base value of building • 20% of cost of rehab can be taken as a tax credit

29. Funding • DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, PUBLIC WORKS TRUST BOARD • Technical Assistance Investment Strategy • We were referred by Allyson Brooks of DHAP & spoke at length with Isaac Huang who wanted to call a meeting with stakeholders but it was backburnered – not enough momentum yet. • Exceptionally helpful! (you never know where a lead will come from) • Staff available for range of assistance - planning & development, pre-construction, finance strategies, coordination of State & Federal agencies

30. Funding • Construction Loan Program • Funded by State taxes • 3 loan programs • Planning • Pre-Construction • Planning

31. Funding • Private & Non-profit sources • Snoqualmie Tribe • Culture and history intimately linked with Snoqualmie River • Only donate to non-profits • Have unofficially expressed interest. Formal proposal would have to be presented to council

32. Funding • Puget Sound Partnership • Would have to demonstrate link to health of Puget Sound • Have worked on several projects with Snoqualmie Tribe • Do have funding for upgrading on-site sewage systems

33. Water Testing • Hypothesis • Testing Methods • Testing location • Graph/Data • Conclusions • Recommendations

34. Map of Testing Locations

35. Graph E.coli

37. Conclusions • There are funding sources available to this community though support from King County and stakeholders needs to be developed • Isaac Huang, Department of Commerce • Need for urgency from King County and business community and residents of Fall City in order to catch the attention of funding sources

38. Recommendations • ***Start regular & consistent water testing of Snoqualmie River – if contamination can be proven to be caused by failing septic systems then easier to obtain funding as a result of public health risk • Identify governing body – 1) annex to Fall City Water and create a sewer department, 2) create new sewer district, 3) annex into Sammamish sewer & water • Identify and reach out to stakeholders • Reach out to Public Works Trust Fund again • Start Public outreach campaign!