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Real Briefings

Lake Whatcom Policy Group

BEL-LWP-2024-09-18 September 18, 2024 Committee Meeting City of Bellingham 45 min
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The Lake Whatcom Policy Group received comprehensive updates on two critical watershed protection programs during their September meeting. The primary focus was on Whatcom County's onsite sewage system (septic) management program, which has achieved 73% compliance in the Lake Whatcom watershed as of August 2024 — a significant improvement from post-COVID levels that had fallen below 50%. Health Department staff presented detailed findings from ongoing studies showing that while some human biomarkers were detected in certain drainage areas, overall septic system performance does not appear to pose a major threat to lake water quality. The second major agenda item addressed the overwhelming public response to the draft 2025-2029 Lake Whatcom Management Work Plan, which generated 307 comments from 37 individuals and 6 organizations. Comments ranged from policy-level concerns about boat restrictions and development limits to technical suggestions about monitoring protocols and forest management. Staff announced they are extending their review timeline to properly respond to the volume of input, with a revised draft now scheduled for December rather than September. The meeting highlighted both the technical complexity of watershed management and the high level of community engagement around Lake Whatcom protection efforts. While septic systems showed improvement in compliance, questions remain about legacy systems near the shoreline and the effectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms.

No formal votes were taken during this meeting. This was an informational session with two major presentations: **Septic System Program Update:** Presented by Haley Bruza and Kathy Craver from Whatcom County Health, showing 73% compliance rate in Lake Whatcom watershed and ongoing follow-up studies on areas with detected human biomarkers. **Public Comment S…

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**Septic System Management:** The presentation revealed that Whatcom County's septic program operates on four pillars: compliance (through inspections), education (homeowner training with rebates), collaboration, and data collection. The program prioritizes Lake Whatcom watershed as a drinking water protection area, along with marine recovery areas and shoreline management zones. Current compliance of 73% represents substantial improvement from post-COVID lows when environmental health staff were reassigned to other duties. A key concern emerged around "grandfathered" septic systems near the lake shoreline that don't meet current standards but cannot be required to upgrade until they fail. Council Member Hammill expressed particular concern about gravity systems close to the shoreline where groundwater mixing during storms could carry effluent directly to the lake. The Health Department acknowledged these as higher-risk systems but noted curren…
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**Haley Bruza (Whatcom County Health):** Emphasized the program's data-driven approach and collaborative philosophy. Noted that while human biomarkers were found in some drainage areas, this doesn't equate to public health threats. Stressed that all septic systems need regular maintenance regardless of apparent performance. **Council Member Dan Hammill:** Expressed strong concern about shoreline septic systems, particularly gravity systems where leach fields are close to the lake. Questioned treatment efficiency and advocated for prioritizing these high-risk systems even if not technically "failing" under curr…
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**Haley Bruza, on compliance improvement:** "It was so bad it was so bad. I would say it was far less than for, like Whatcom, which typically has our highest performing compliance rate, it was like. think it was below 50%, it might have been around 30." **Council Member Dan Hammill, on shoreline septic systems:** "I see every septic tank along the shoreline as not as a treatment device, even though it is, it's also quite a polluter in itself, because, you know, we we know that a septic tank, o…
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**October:** Staff will complete response to all 307 public comments with detailed reasoning for inclusion or exclusion of suggestions. **End of October:** Public comment summary and staff responses will be posted on Lake Whatcom Management Program webpage and emailed to policy group members. **End of November:** Final revised Work Plan will be sent to policy group members with December 4 meeting agenda. **December 4, 2024:** Joint Policy Group will review revised…

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**Compliance Achievement:** Lake Whatcom watershed septic compliance reached 73% as of August 2024, representing substantial recovery from post-COVID lows below 50%. **Work Plan Timeline Extended:** Original September completion date for Work Plan moved to December 4 due to volume of public input requiring thorough staff review. **Enhanced Audit Process:** County Health has increased homeowner evaluation audits, examining 6 of 27 …
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## Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Policy Group gathered for their regular meeting on September 18, 2024, bringing together representatives from Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District to tackle two major agenda items that would define their ongoing watershed protection efforts. The meeting drew a substantial virtual audience, with policy group members participating both in-person and online to address critical questions about septic system management and the future direction of the watershed's protection strategy. The session was structured around two substantive presentations: a comprehensive briefing on onsite sewage systems (OSS) management and compliance within the Lake Whatcom watershed, followed by a detailed review of the unprecedented public response to the draft 2025-2029 Five-Year Work Plan. What made this meeting particularly notable was the depth of technical information presented about septic systems — a topic that has generated ongoing concern among watershed stakeholders — and the remarkable level of community engagement reflected in over 300 public comments on the work plan. Attending were Bob Donovan and Gary Stoica from Whatcom County Council and Public Works respectively, Hannah Stone and Nancy Alloway from Bellingham City Council, representatives from multiple city and county departments, Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District officials, and Washington State Department of Ecology staff participating virtually. The meeting revealed both the complexity of managing onsite sewage systems in a sensitive watershed and the passionate community interest in the future management of their drinking water source. ## Onsite Sewage Systems: Compliance, Challenges, and Lake Protection The meeting's central focus was an extensive presentation by Whatcom County Health and Community Services staff about their onsite sewage systems program, particularly as it relates to Lake Whatcom watershed protection. Haley Bruza, who supervises the county's onsite sewage and drinking water programs, led off by explaining that their program operates on four fundamental pillars: compliance through regular inspections, education through homeowner training tied to financial incentives, collaboration with community partners, and comprehensive data collection from every interaction with property owners. "Overall, our program is built on really 4 pillars," Bruza explained. "Compliance, which means they've been inspected and are treating …
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### Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Policy Group met on September 18, 2024, to hear updates on on-site sewage systems (septic) monitoring and management, and to discuss public comments received for the 2025-29 5-year work plan. The meeting included detailed presentations on septic system compliance rates, watershed studies, and hundreds of public comments about Lake Whatcom protection. ### Key Terms and Concepts **On-Site Sewage System (OSS):** Septic systems serving individual properties, consisting of a septic tank and drain field, used where homes aren't connected to centralized sewer systems. **Compliance Rate:** The percentage of active septic systems that have received required evaluations within their allotted timeframe (every 3 years for gravity systems, annually for others). **Biomarkers:** DNA testing used to identify the source of fecal contamination in water samples - can distinguish between human waste versus livestock or wildlife sources. **Gravity System:** The most common type of septic system where waste flows by gravity from the septic tank to the drain field for soil treatment. **OSCAR System:** A more advanced septic system that uses drip irrigation coils and sand treatment, requiring only 12 inches of soil separation from groundwater. **Local Management Plan:** County document that prioritizes areas for septic system oversight, including Lake Whatcom watershed as a drinking water protection area. **TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load):** Federal water quality standard that limits the amount of pollutants a water body can receive while still meeting quality standards. **Adaptive Management:** An approach that allows plans and programs to be adjusted based on new data and changing conditions rather than remaining static. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Gary Stoica | Whatcom County Public Works | | Haley Bruza | Whatcom County Health and Community Services - supervises on-site sewage and drinking water programs | | Kathy Craver | Whatcom County Public Works | | Becky Snyder | Whatcom County Public Works | | Bob Donovan | Whatcom County Council | | Nancy Allen | Sudden Valley representative | | Hannah Stone | Bellingham City Council | | Renee Lacrosse | Bellingham Public Utilities | | Justin Clary | Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District | ### Background Context Lake Whatcom serves as Bellingham's primary drinking water source, making water quality …
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Environmental Government Operations City Of Bellingham Lake Whatcom Water Sewer District Whatcom County Health Whatcom County Public Works Becky Snyder Bob Donovan Cliff Strong Dan Hammill Gary Stoica Haley Bruza Hannah Stone Kathy Craver Budget Finance Compliance Forest Management Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Use Policy Monitoring Data Public Health Funding Recreational Impacts Stormwater Water Resources