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What is HOST?
This program certifies qualifying homeowners to inspect their own onsite sewage system. To qualify for this program, the system must be a Conventional Gravity or Conventional Pressure system. A Conventional system has no pretreatment. Systems that have pretreatment such as a mound, sandfilter, sandlined trenches, aerobic treatment units (ATU) or other components require professional inspection. Obtain your asbuilt by contacting our offices to determine what type of system serves your property.
If your property is located within the Penn Cove (map) or South Holmes Harbor (map) watersheds, only Conventional Gravity systems are eligible. At time of sale/transfer inspection requirements must be performed by a licensed Maintenance Service Provider if the system has not been inspected within its last compliance period.
In some situations, homeowners may find that their system is of older construction, or that their system is covered (buried) and lacks risers to facilitate easy checking; in these cases, they will likely need to first utilize the services of a qualified professional to get their system to the point that they can conduct their own inspections in the years to come.
In other cases, homeowners may not be familiar with the location of their septic system, and find that the County Public Health Department does not have a record of their system on file. In these cases, the homeowner may need to hire a licensed maintenance service provider to help locate their system, so that in the future they can conduct their own inspections.
Always remember, working with sewage and sewage systems can be very dangerous. For tips on remaining safe around sewage and sewage systems, click here.
Steps to Certification:
Step 1. Septic 101
The first step to HOST is completing Septic 101.
Septic 101 will be online! We are developing the curriculum and hope to have this class launched on the web in the next couple of months. Keep checking back!
We also offer Septic 101 presentations. In partnership with WSU Island County Extension, the class is offered at different locations throughout the county and covers the basic essentials of caring and maintaining your system.
Click on the following link for the current schedule.
Step 2. Watch the video
Following the completion of Septic 101, you'll need to watch the HOST Tutorial Video. You can do this in three ways:
1. View it by clicking the link below.
2. Obtain it by check out at your local Sno-Isle library.
3. Or purchase a copy for $5 at our Island County Public Health Offices.
Step 3. Septic 201 - $25 Fee for attendance.
This class provides homeowners with the experience of inspecting a "live" septic system. It is the final step to becoming certified through the HOST program.
Questions? Contact our main office:
Email: homeownerseptic@co.island.wa.us
Phone:
360-679-7350
360-321-5111 from South Whidbey
360-629-4522 from Camano
Resources
Inspecting Your Septic Tank/Build a Sludge and Scum Stick - this document gives instructions to build your own tool to measure the solids within your tanks.
Reporting Forms - These forms are used to report inspection results to Island County Public Health.
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