King County, including the Greater Seattle area in Washington state, recently floated a proposal to add an annual fee of about $35 for owners of septic systems to ensure those systems are monitored to protect water quality in the Puget Sound. The proposed measure was a response to rising fecal bacteria levels in the waters closing down shellfish harvesting and many homeowners reportedly ignoring requirements to care for their septic systems.According to news accounts, only 2 percent of homeowners with septic systems submit annual maintenance reports. Currently, homeowners pay a $28 fee for monitoring, but the fee is only triggered
