Septic Replacement Meeting 03-06-24

by | Mar 14, 2024 | News, Septic replacement

Attendees:
Lisa-Ann Oliver, Flaura’s Acres
Tom Noonan, Flaura’s Acres
Cynthia Fuller, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative Program

Sewer Project

  • Tom will contact the City about asking them to sponsor them for a CDBG grant.
    • A preliminary engineering report (PER) is a requirement to apply for USDA funding.
    • Flaura’s has a preliminary report that may need some additional information to meet USDA requirements.
  • Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) may be able to provide assistance for preparing USDA application.
  • Does PER need additional information added to apply for USDA funding?

Action Items

  • Send Cathleen’s contact information to Tom and Lisa
  • Lisa-Ann and Tom need to sign up for SAM.gov accounts.
  • Lisa-Ann will contact representatives about status of legislative requests

Work to Date

  • Design work is completed and submitted to City. City will not issue an approval until the permit fee is paid. Permit fee will be paid when funding is obtained for the project.
  • United Engineering provided an updated engineer’s estimate. The project cost is $1.9M.
    • Connection fees are $11,322 per home, but may be negotiable.
    • Decommissioning of the individual tanks is $450/home.
    • Sewer fees will be $96/month per household.

Funding

  • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) General Purpose Grant
    • County must apply for funding on behalf of Flaura’s Acres
    • Applications are accepted in the spring of each year
    • Award is up to $1M in grant funding
    • Applicant must demonstrate their residents have a low-to-moderate income (LMI) rate of at least 51% based on HUD LMI data.
    • Likes a funding “partner” (other funding source such as USDA RD)
      https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/community-development-block-grants/cdbg-general-purpose-grants/
  • USDA Rural Development
    • Applications accepted year-round.
    • Subsidy (grant) based on the applicant’s community median household income.
      https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program/wa

Talking Points

  • Big environmental benefit both to protection of surface waters of the state, but also to area groundwater.
  • Protection of local drinking water source by eliminating leaking sewer pipes.
  • Project is ready to proceed – design has been completed and cost estimates in hand.
  • Supported by community, but a big financial burden on many of the community members

Other

  • Testing for PFAS in all Group A water systems must be conducted by December 2025 (Department of Health requirement).
    https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/washington-tracking-network-wtn/pfas
  • Lead Service Line Inventory required for all Group A water systems by October 16, 2024 (Department of Health requirement).
    https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/331-711.pdf

    • Next Meeting
    March 20, 2024 at 9 am