Healthy Septic and Water
- Jennifer Hrachovec
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 14
*** Update August 11, 2026 ***
The Marine Recovery Area Program Update proposal to the King County Board of Health will be delayed until 2027. We have heard strong support for updating the Marine Recovery Area, and we have also heard that more work is needed before our proposal is finalized.
Thank you to the Vashon-Maury Island community members who have engaged in thoughtful conversations about how to best ensure that septic systems on the island are maintained so that water quality and public health are protected.
Over the next months, Public Health will work with partners and community members to address topics necessary to finalize the proposal and successfully implement the program, including:
Strategies to reduce costs of inspections,
Service provider availability and training, and
Effective implementation of risk-based septic inspection model.
Give feedback & learn more:
Take the MRA Program Update survey by September 15 to provide initial feedback for Public Health to consider as we continue work on the proposal.
Visit kingcounty.gov/mra to stay updated on upcoming engagement opportunities and new information.
For questions, contact Meagan Jackson (OSS Program Supervisor, at mejackson@kingcounty.gov)
*** June 14, 2026 ***
Shoreline homeowners with septic: view this presentation from Public Health's June 2026 Vashon-Maury Island (VMI) Community Meeting which covers a proposal to update the Marine Recovery Area for Vashon and Maury Islands. Important updates to shoreline septic monitoring requirements are described.
How have Vashon-Maury residents already improved water quality through septic monitoring and upgrades? Since 2016, over 400 new acres of Vashon-Maury shoreline have been opened for shellfish harvesting. See kingcounty.gov/MRA for details.
For program information including frequently asked questions, see 2026 Marine Recovery Area Update and Proposed Island-Wide Map. To look up your parcel's septic maintenance record, see Septic and Group B Records App.
For questions, contact Meagan Jackson (OSS Program Supervisor, at mejackson@kingcounty.gov)
Thank you for the very informative presentation on this among other things at the recent meeting. Would you have the slideshow, by chance, that was shared during the meeting? I would love to share information about this on my social media, as it greatly impacts our clients as well in terms of ability to build, expand homes, and issues with permitting work on existing properties, which is already an ongoing battle on Vashon.