SB 6234, prohibiting local governments from disallowing sewage grinder pumps to serve new residential buildings, failed to pass the February 17 house of origin cutoff. The bill is considered dead for the remainder of the session.

Cities’ amendments to proposed regulations on sewage grinder pumps adopted

February 6, 2026

With the help of staff from several cities and towns, AWC requested amendments to SB 6234, preempting local governments’ regulation of sewage grinder pumps, to mitigate the bill’s impacts to local utilities. We are happy to report that legislators in the Senate Local Government Committee adopted the proposed amendments and passed the bill out of Committee by a near-unanimous vote.

The amendments are described below.

AWC staff thanks the bill sponsor for his partnership with local governments and for accepting the cities’ requests. We will continue to steward the bill as it moves through the Legislature. Please contact staff with concerns or suggestions not addressed in the current version of the legislation.

SB 6234 passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee on February 2 and now awaits a vote on the Senate floor.

AWC seeks to amend proposed preemptive regulations on sewage grinder pumps

January 30, 2026

A preemptive measure from the Senate seeks to require local governments to allow the installation of sewage grinder pumps for new residential buildings under prescribed circumstances.

SB 6234, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D–Edmonds), prohibits cities, towns, counties, and water-sewer districts from disallowing sewage grinder pumps to serve new residential buildings that:

• Are located below grade of a public sewer line;
• Are connected to a low-pressure sewer system;
• Are located at a distance from a public sewer line that gravity alone cannot effectively move wastewater to the public sewer system;
• Must move wastewater vertically; and
• Are located in a new residential community where geologic site conditions or excessive topography cannot support the expense of a gravity sewer system.

In response to numerous concerns that the legislation raises for cities, and with the help of many city public works officials, AWC has submitted proposed amendments to the bill sponsor to improve the bill. The list of amendments:

• Narrows the scope of the bill to apply to new single-family residences;
• Removes unclear language regarding buildings located at such a distance from a public sewer line that gravity alone cannot effectively move wastewater to the public sewer system and instead specifies that cities will allow grinder pumps where drainage via gravity or other wastewater service alternatives, such as septic tank effluent pumping, are not possible;
• Removes the subjective requirement regarding buildings located in a new residential community where geologic site conditions or excessive topography “cannot support the expense” of a gravity sewer system;
• Adds that such sewage pumps must have a check valve or backflow preventor;
• Adds that the installation of such pumps must be consistent with the utility provider’s sewer system plan; and
• Clarifies that property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the equipment—not the sewer provider—and that, if the owner fails to complete necessary maintenance or repairs, the provider may make those repairs and invoice the owner for the costs.

AWC will continue to work with the bill sponsor on the proposal and to advocate for the adoption of our requested amendments. We thank the city staff for their assistance with the legislation.

SB 6234 was heard in the Senate Local Government Committee last week and is scheduled for a vote in that committee on Monday, February 2, at 1:30 pm.