Septic Tank Inspections

Now that we have (temporarily) wound up the trash collection/recycling matter, it is time to (temporarily) wind up the septic tank inspection system matter, with the hope that we can have some release from dealing with Whatcom County for awhile.  The County, I am told, thinks we are a bunch of whiners up here, and we think they are indifferent to our concerns down there.  So perhaps we could use the interval to establish ourselves as some kind of tea party organization: YOU DON'T HEAR US, is the slogan, I believe.

Last week, the County Council approved amendments that more or less put the previous inspection system on hold.  But they have to revote on it next month because the amendments they voted on were not exactly the ones that were being proposed.  You can imagine the embarrassment experienced when the item on the agenda was a draft version rather  than the final version.  So maybe next month they'll vote on the final version instead.  But in any case, the essence of the change seems to be that they will eliminate the requirement for professional inspections.  You will have to have the inspections still (the State requires them), but the state didn't require that you pay $250-$300 to a 'professional' to have that done. 

Incidentally, to be a professional requires one to profess something.  What septic tank inspectors profess would be a mystery to me.  Additionally, professionals usually have codes of ethics, are required to act on behalf of their clients, have a large degree of self-regulation but also have extensive education requirements placed upon them.  Physicians, nurses, dentists, and psychologists are professionals.  Professional status, once lost, cannot be regained.  I suspect that professional septic tank inspectors are not professionals. 

Here's a link to the Bellingham Herald's article on this matter.