This Development Engineering Section is responsible for the review of all Residential and CIP or Capital Improvement Projects. Projects are reviewed either for connection to the County, or another jurisdiction's sewer system within unincorporated Pierce County. This centralized review approach insures that all development regulations pertaining to sanitary sewer services are met.

For those projects that fall outside of the sewer service area, or that are located in rural areas of Pierce County, on-site septic systems are allowed. All on-site systems require the review and approval of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department prior to permitting and installation.

Developers have designed and constructed hundreds of thousands of linear feet of public and private sewer lines within public and private roads of residential subdivisions and multi-family developments. All sewer construction within private roads remain private systems and are not maintained by the County. Those constructed within public roads become part of the public system.

Over 45% of the public sewer lines installed in Pierce County's Sewer Service Area have been designed and constructed by private developers in support of their residential and commercial projects. The Development Engineering Section reviews all collector systems, both public and private, proposed by developers for compliance with Pierce County Standard Plans and Details.

The Department also responds for requests for sewer information from individual property owners and developers in need of sewer availability letters in support of land use or building permit applications and final review and approval of sewer plans.