Washington State Attorney General Says That Sewer Districts Can Use Public Funds To Replace And Repair Private Sewer Lines

Online, May 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Olympia, Wash. - The Washington State Attorney General's Office recently issued an opinion which states that municipal sewer districts have statutory and necessary authority to use public funds to repair or replace side sewers located on private property (http://www.atg.wa.gov/AGOOpinions/opinion.aspx?section=archive&id=23724). Additionally, the Attorney General's Office Opinion indicated that a sewer district which pays for such private repairs or replacements would not violate the state constitutional prohibition against the gifting or lending of public funds.

As a result of this opinion, King County and several public municipal sewer districts in the King County Wastewater Service Area have already launched major programs to repair and/or replace private sewer lines. According to King County (http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/wastewater/ii/0801-Regional_I-I_flyer.pdf), much of the rehabilitation work will happen on private side sewer lines and will require the cooperation of private property owners. King County and the local sewer agencies in the King County Wastewater Service Area will work closely with the affected communities during the design and implementation of the projects.

The above mentioned private side sewer repair and replacement programs are expected to cost over $50 million dollars, with the funding coming from a variety of federal, state and local public funding sources. Moreover, some of the sewer districts will be passing on the cost of the private side sewer repairs to their ratepayers.

For more information, contact King County at 206-684-1280 or to contact individual sewer and water districts involved with this program call 206-246-1299

Following are a list of municipalities and water and sewer districts that are located in the King County Wastewater Service Area of which many are participating in the private sewer line repair program:
• Alderwood Water & Wastewater District
• City of Algona, Public Works
• City of Auburn, Public Works
• City of Bellevue, Utility Services
• City of Black Diamond, Public Works
• City of Bothell, Public Works
• City of Brier, Public Works
• City of Carnation, Public Works
• Cedar River Water & Sewer District
• Coal Creek Utility District
• Cross Valley Water District
• Highlands Sewer District
• City of Issaquah, Public Works
• City of Kent, Public Works
• City of Kirkland, Public Works
• City of Lake Forest Park, Public Works
• Lakehaven Utility District
• City of Mercer Island, Sanitary Sewer Utility
• Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
• Northeast Sammamish Sewer & Water District
• Northshore Utility District
• Olympic View Water and Sewer District
• City of Pacific, Public Utilities
• City of Redmond, Public Works
• City of Renton, Public Works
• Ronald Wastewater District
• Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District
• City of Seattle, Public Utilities
• Skyway Water and Sewer District
• Soos Creek Water & Sewer District
• City of Tukwila, Public Works
• Valley View Sewer District
• Vashon Sewer District
• Woodinville Water District

##########