Where can you get help paying for septic repair?
For septic repair loans, Thurston County's permits page points to Craft3, a nonprofit lender whose Washington Clean Water Loan can cover design, permits and installation. As Craft3's page read on 6 November 2026, rates were 3.49 or 6.49 percent depending on income. The county itself offers a maintenance grant of up to $2,000 for qualifying homeowners and a riser rebate of up to $200.
Street to Drainfield · updated · sources listed at the end
Which septic repair loans does Thurston County point to?
Craft3's Clean Water Loan. The county's septic permits and resources page links it as low-interest loans to help Thurston County residents repair failing septic systems. Craft3's Washington loan page says its terms were current as of 1 April 2026 and subject to change.
As that page read on 6 November 2026, you may qualify if the property is in Washington and at least one of these is true: the system is at least 25 years old, it is failing, local health officials have contacted you, or you are under orders to fix it. Loans start at $10,000. Owner-occupied homes at or below 80 percent of area median income paid 3.49 percent; higher incomes and rentals paid 6.49 percent. There is a $350 loan fee and $500 in closing costs, unsecured loans run up to 7 years and secured loans up to 15. Each loan builds in a $2,000 maintenance reserve and a 10 percent contingency, and an $850 fee applies if you pay it off within 12 months.
How does the Craft3 process line up with county permits?
In a set order. Craft3 lists the steps as apply, a cultural resources review by the Department of Ecology that takes about 30 days, design, signing, and installation. Your designer submits the design to the county, the county issues the permit, and your contractor installs. Craft3 notes that the contractor must be approved by the local health jurisdiction; the county keeps its lists on its hiring a septic professional page. In some cases the same loan can pay to connect to a nearby city sewer instead.
Is there a grant for smaller septic jobs?
Yes, for maintenance rather than drainfields. The county's homeowner grant brochure, dated October 2025, offers up to $2,000 for inspections, pumping a tank or pump chamber, access risers, minor repairs that need no permit, and pump replacement. You must own and live in a single-family home on septic as your primary residence, and either have household income under $65,350 or be enrolled in the county's Senior/Disabled Property Tax Exemption or Deferral Program.
The conditions are firm. You supply two bids, pay at least 10 percent of the cost, use a licensed or certified professional, and get written county approval before any work starts; the county pays the company directly. One grant is allowed per parcel in three years. The grant does not cover drainfield repairs, anything needing a permit, jetting, additives or camera work. One wrinkle: the permits page describes the grant for homeowners in the shellfish growing areas of Dana Passage, Totten, Eld, Henderson, Nisqually and northern Budd Inlet, while the brochure does not limit it that way. Ask the county which applies to your parcel before you count on it.
What does the riser rebate cover?
Up to $200. The county's riser rebate form covers risers over the tank, pump chamber, sand filter or baffles, plus secondary safety devices installed with a new riser. It is one rebate per property owner, for existing systems only, while funds last; new and newly repaired systems do not qualify. The form allows self-installation, but fitting a riser means working over an open tank. Have a certified pumper or licensed installer do it, never leave an open lid unattended, and never lean into or enter the tank. More on lids is in finding the septic tank lids.
What do repair permits cost in 2026?
The county's 2026 fee schedule, effective 1 January 2026, lists $1,300 for an on-site sewage system repair (a $580 site application plus a $720 design review) and $490 for the construction permit. A 5 percent technology fee applies to applicable permits, and the county adjusts fees every 1 January. These are county fees only; the designer, installer and pumper bill separately.
Which septic repairs need a permit?
Most repairs need a permit; the county decides which. The county's septic questions page names replacement of the tank, the drainfield or the distribution box. Minor repairs may not, but the county asks you to contact its office before any work to find out. If you are unsure the system is failing at all, read signs of a failing drainfield first.
| Program | What it pays for | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Craft3 Clean Water Loan | Design, permits and installation; sometimes sewer connection | System 25+ years old, failing, or flagged by health officials |
| County homeowner grant | Inspection, pumping, risers, minor repairs, pump replacement | Income under $65,350 or senior/disabled exemption; approval first |
| County riser rebate | Risers and secondary safety devices | Existing systems only; one per property owner |
Yours to do
- Read the Craft3 eligibility list against your system's age and condition.
- Call the county before any repair to ask whether a permit applies.
- Collect two written bids if you apply for the grant.
- Keep receipts and photos for a riser rebate.
- Wait for written grant approval before work starts.
Leave to a licensed or certified pro
- A certified designer prepares and submits the repair design to the county.
- A county-approved installer builds the new drainfield or replaces the tank.
- A certified pumper or licensed installer fits risers over an open tank.
- A county-certified pumper or monitoring specialist inspects before and after.
On the record
- 3.49%Craft3 rate, owner-occupied at or below 80% AMI, terms dated 1 April 2026Craft3
- $2,000Maximum county homeowner grant for septic maintenanceThurston County
- $200Maximum county riser rebateThurston County
- $1,300County repair review fee, 2026, before permit and technology feeThurston County Environmental Health
Common questions
Does a Craft3 loan require perfect credit?
Craft3's page says perfect credit is not required, though every application is subject to credit, property and project approval.
Can the grant pay for a new drainfield?
No. The county's brochure excludes disposal component repairs such as drainfields and any repair that requires a permit.
Is a vacation cabin eligible for the county grant?
No. The brochure says property used as a vacation home is not eligible and you must live in the home at least six months a year.
Do lower-income owners get a better loan rate?
On Craft3's terms as read on 6 November 2026, yes: 3.49 percent at or below 80 percent of area median income, against 6.49 percent above it or for rentals.
Does the Department of Health offer septic loans directly?
Its failure page points owners to Craft3 and to local health departments that run loan and grant programs.
Sources
- Septic Systems Permits & Resources, Thurston County — Craft3 link, grant description, riser rebate; read 6 November 2026
- Homeowner Grant Program for Septic System Maintenance, Thurston County — grant amount, eligibility and conditions; read 6 November 2026
- Septic Tank Riser Rebate form, Thurston County — rebate amount and rules; read 6 November 2026
- Environmental Health 2026 Fee Schedule, Thurston County — repair and construction permit fees; read 6 November 2026
- Septic Frequently Asked Questions, Thurston County — which repairs need permits; read 6 November 2026
- Washington Clean Water Loans, Craft3 — loan eligibility, rates, fees, terms and steps; read 6 November 2026
- Signs of Septic System Failure, Washington State Department of Health — financial help options; read 6 November 2026
How this page was put together. Every amount here comes from the Thurston County permits page, grant brochure, rebate form and 2026 fee schedule, or from the Craft3 loan page the county links, all read on 6 November 2026. Loan terms and grant funding change, so confirm them with the program before applying. The page gives no contractor prices and does not rank lenders.
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