What’s Happening?
The Department of Health (department) is considering amending fees for all programs within the Office of Drinking Water to cover the costs of the programs and account for the General Fund State (GFS) and foundational public health services (FPHS) funding reductions and the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) made in the 2025-2027 state budget (ESSB 5167).
RCW 43.70.250 authorizes the Secretary of Health to establish various fees associated with licensing and regulation of professions, occupations, or businesses. These fees must be set at a level that covers the costs of administering each program or license. RCW 43.20B.020 authorizes the department to charge fees for services.
In the 2025-2027 state budget, the department is experiencing COLA increases, Class and Compensation increases, GFS and FPHS reductions, and fund balance deficits.
The department has completed a financial assessment of the Office of Drinking Water programs and determined the current fees are not generating sufficient revenue to cover the cost of the programs over the biennium.
Due to these reasons, the programs and fee sections considering fee adjustment are:
- WAC 246-290-990 for Water system evaluation and project review and approval fees
- WAC 246-292-995 for Certified operator and public water system certification fees
- WAC 246-294-070 for Operating permit fees
The department may also consider making editorial updates to align with Code Reviser’s Bill Drafting Guide.
Why?
RCW 43.70.250 authorizes the Secretary of Health to establish various fees associated with licensing and regulation of professions, occupations, or businesses. RCW 43.20B.020 authorizes the department to charge fees for services. These fees must be set at a level that covers the costs of administering each program or license. The department’s initial assessment of the Office of Drinking Water programs determined the current fees are not generating sufficient revenue to cover the cost of the programs over the biennium.
Get Involved
Informal Public Comment Period
Deadline: July 25, 2025
The department wants your feedback on draft updates to the proposed fee updates for all programs within the Office of Drinking Water.
This is your chance to suggest changes, ask questions, or share your ideas. Your feedback will help shape the rule before it’s opened for formal public comment. The informal comment period ends on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
Informational Session Available
On July 15, 2025, the Washington State Department of Health (department) held an informational session to provide high-level information about the fee rulemaking. The informational session provided high-level information about the proposed fee adjustments as well as an overview of the rulemaking process and anticipated timelines.
If you were unable to attend the informational session, a recording is now available to view here.
Provide Feedback on Draft Changes
Written comments are accepted through July 25, 2025, using the following options.
- Email: Zehra Siddiqui
- Mail: Department of Health, PO Box 47820, Olympia, WA 98504-7990
To provide your edits using Track Changes in Word, open one or more of the following WACs:
- Office of Drinking Fees Economic Impact Analysis Report (Word)
- WAC 246-290-990 for Water system evaluation and project review and approval fees (Word)
- WAC 246-292-995 for Certified operator and public water system certification fees (Word)
- WAC 246-294-070 for Operating permit fees (Word)
And follow these steps:
- Go to the “Review” tab.
- Select “Track Changes” from the drop-down arrow in the “Tracking” section.
- Make your edits and watch them appear as colored text.
- When finished, save the document(s) as [Last Name, First Name] WAC 246-XXX-XXX_Draft
- Email the draft(s) to zehra.siddiqui@doh.wa.gov by the July 20 deadline.
Tentative Rulemaking Timeline
- July 2025 – Start rulemaking
- July 2025 – Informal comment period
- September and October 2025 – Formal comment period and public hearing
- November 2025 – Rulemaking complete
Rulemaking Files
| Document | What's This? | Date Filed |
|---|---|---|
| CR-101 – Preproposal Statement of Inquiry (PDF) | Announces intent of rulemaking. | July 7, 2025 |
| Office of Drinking Fees Economic Impact Analysis Report (Word) | Explanation of fee adjustments. | |
| WAC 246-290-990 for Water system evaluation and project review and approval fees (Word) | Draft changes for informal public comment. Comments due by July 20, 2025. | |
| WAC 246-292-995 for Certified operator and public water system certification fees (Word) | Draft changes for informal public comment. Comments due by July 20, 2025. | |
| WAC 246-294-070 for Operating permit fees (Word) | Draft changes for informal public comment. Comments due by July 20, 2025. | |
| EPH Fees Rulemaking Informational Session (PDF) Recording of EPH Fees Rulemaking Informational Session |
Fee Rulemaking Information Session - July 15, 2025 |
Contacts
Zehra Siddiqui, Rules Coordinator
Jeanna Sieving, Fee Manager