SB 5660
In CommitteeSenate
Water & sewage system access
Making it possible for more properties to have access to water, storm drains, and sanitary sewage systems.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill expands the ability for local governments and utility districts to extend water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure beyond city and urban growth boundaries—especially in rural areas—when it addresses health, safety, or environmental risks and meets strict feasibility and planning requirements. It also updates comprehensive plan requirements to include detailed utilities and rural development elements, and clarifies when such utility extensions bypass formal boundary review processes.
- Allows cities, counties, and special districts to extend water, sewer, and stormwater systems beyond urban growth boundaries if the extension is environmentally beneficial, economically feasible, and does not encourage unplanned urban sprawl.
- Requires comprehensive plans to include a new 'utilities element' detailing existing and proposed utility infrastructure locations and capacities, and a 'rural element' to guide development outside urban areas while protecting rural character.
- Amends the Growth Management Act to clarify that utility extensions outside urban growth areas are lawful when they address health, safety, or environmental risks and meet strict feasibility and environmental review standards.
- Limits when a boundary review board must review utility extensions: extensions approved under the new rules or small-diameter extensions (≤6-inch water, ≤8-inch sewer) are exempt from mandatory review.
- Prohibits judicial or administrative appeals of certain housing-related ordinances that increase affordability or reduce displacement, unless they significantly harm fish habitat.
Who is affected
- Rural and unincorporated community residents — Residents in rural or unincorporated areas who currently lack access to safe drinking water, functioning sewage systems, or stormwater management may gain access to these essential utilities if extensions are approved under the new criteria.
- Local governments and utility providers — Local governments (cities, counties, and special purpose districts like water-sewer districts) must follow new rules for extending utilities beyond urban growth boundaries and update comprehensive plans to include updated utilities and rural elements.
- Special purpose districts — Special purpose districts (e.g., water-sewer districts) may be required to share infrastructure plans and coordinate with cities and counties, and may face new limits on when their service extensions require boundary review board approval.
- Developers and property owners — Developers and property owners in rural or transition zones may benefit from clearer pathways to connect to public utilities, but must ensure extensions meet environmental and feasibility standards.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Expands ability to extend water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure beyond urban growth boundaries to address health and environmental risks — directly improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation for rural residents who currently rely on failing septic systems or contaminated wells.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(4)(a) and Sec. 2(5)Allows limited areas of more intensive rural development (e.g., villages, hamlets, crossroads) to include essential retail services — potentially increasing local access to groceries, pharmacies, and hardware stores in rural communities without requiring long trips to urban centers.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(d)(i)Permits expansion of essential rural retail services (e.g., grocery, pharmacy, hardware) in designated limited areas — improving emergency preparedness and habitability for residents in remote areas during wildfires, floods, or other disasters.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(d)(i)Allows expansion of small-scale businesses and cottage industries in rural areas — creating local job opportunities and supporting rural economic resilience without encouraging sprawl.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(d)(i)Permits intensification of small-scale recreational or tourist uses (e.g., lodges, guide services) in rural areas — supporting seasonal employment and small business development in tourism-dependent rural economies.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(5)(d)(ii)
Potential Concerns (5)
Requires counties to develop a rural element and all jurisdictions to add a utilities element to comprehensive plans, increasing planning workload and complexity without state funding support.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(4)(a) and Sec. 2(5)Mandates good-faith outreach to special purpose districts for utility data, but failure to obtain it does not invalidate the plan — creating administrative burden without clear accountability.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(4)(a) and Sec. 2(5)Requires counties to adopt measures to contain and minimize existing areas of more intensive rural development, potentially triggering costly boundary delineation processes and legal challenges over what constitutes “existing” vs. “new” development.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(4)(a) and Sec. 2(5)Imposes complex date-based definitions of “existing areas” for more intensive rural development (e.g., July 1, 1990), creating data collection and verification burdens for counties.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(5)(d)(v)Clarifies that utility extensions approved under RCW 36.70A.110(4) cannot be grounds for noncompliance findings — reducing legal risk but offering no direct benefit or cost savings to local governments.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 4
Who Is Most Affected
Rural and unincorporated residents lacking access to safe water, sewer, or stormwater systems stand to gain significantly — improved public health, reduced disease risk, and increased property values if infrastructure is extended. However, some may face higher utility bills if new connections require rate increases.
Local governments gain flexibility to address urgent health/safety needs beyond urban boundaries, but must invest time and resources into updating comprehensive plans and coordinating with special districts. Small jurisdictions may lack staff or technical capacity.
Special purpose districts (e.g., water-sewer districts) must share infrastructure data and may see reduced need for formal boundary review on small-diameter extensions — lowering administrative barriers. However, they may face new expectations to coordinate with counties and cities.
Developers and property owners in rural areas gain clearer pathways to connect to public utilities, but must comply with feasibility, environmental, and rural character standards — reducing speculative development while supporting responsible growth.
Existing rural businesses (e.g., small retail, tourism, cottage industries) benefit from expanded authorization for intensification and expansion, but new entrants may face stricter land-use controls to preserve rural character.