Find your job

Sixteen jobs, each with what changes from place to place around the South Sound and the sheet to turn to.

• Find out who supplies your waterStart with your bill; county maps and state Sentry settle the rest.
• Sewer or septic: who takes your wastewater?A sewer charge is not proof; records sit with utility and health department.
• Who answers for your side sewer?The owner usually keeps the pipe, but each utility draws its line differently.
• Septic care and inspections on the peninsulasTwo health offices, different inspection schedules; leave tank lids to certified professionals.
• Selling a house on septicPierce County's status report, Kitsap's conveyance inspection, and well papers where needed.
• Private and shared wells on the peninsulasOwners test their own water; Ecology regulates construction; health offices hold records.
• Iron, manganese and hard water by sourceFew published figures; read utility reports, and lab-test a well before treating.
• Lead, galvanized and other old linesUtility inventories cover their pipe; a test tells you about your tap.
• Bluffs, shorelines and steep slopes: who to askLocal planning and a qualified geologist answer these; Ecology explains the drainage risks.
• Wet winter water around the houseTacoma's downspout and sump advice, plus who to ask where guidance runs out.
• Before and after a freezeTPU's cold-weather steps, shutoff valves, and who takes the call after a burst.
• Plumbing permits, office by officeEach city or county issues its own, and exempt work differs across lines.
• How to check a plumber in WashingtonL&I's Verify tool, the state's exact wording, and local contractor rules on top.
• Digging on your lot: call 811 firstFree locates, two to 10 business days' notice, and private lines stay yours.
• Backflow, sprinklers and your water supplierYour supplier runs the program; sprinklers can mean a permit and yearly test.
• Water heaters and gas: permits, smells, strapsGas smell first; then permits by place, strapping wording and our pro advice.