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SUBJECTSGOVERNANCESPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS › Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts
Updated 02/09

Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts

Note that the number of districts may vary depending on the source of information and how the term special purpose district is defined.  See What is a Special District?  for additional information.

District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW) Number 01/09
(Multiple Sources)

Number in 2004 (Multiple Sources) Number DOR TaxCode Areas (3/02) 1963 Units of Govt**
Air Pollution Control Authorities 1957, 1967 Ch. 70.94 RCW 7 8   NA   NA
Airport Districts, County 1945 RCW 14.08.290-.330 2 2 2 2
Cemetery Districts 1947 Ch. 68.52 RCW 103 105 101 44
Conservation Districts 1939 Ch. 89.08 RCW 47 48   74
County Rail Districts 1983 Ch. 36.60 RCW 1 None   NA
Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts 1982 Ch. 67.38 RCW None
None 1 NA 
Diking and Drainage Districts       Title 85  RCW 107 112   194
Diking Districts 1895 Ch. 85.05 RCW Above Above   Above 
Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) 1909 Ch.. 85.24 RCW Above Above   Above  
Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement Districts; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act 1933 Ch. 85.22 RCW Above Above   Above  
Diking, Drainage, Sewerage Improvement Districts Funding methods revised by Diking, Drainage, and Sewerage Improvement Districts - 1967 Act 1913 Ch. 85.08 RCW, Ch. 85.15 RCW Above Above   Above  
Drainage Districts 1895 Ch. 85.06 RCW Above Above   Above  
Drainage Improvement Districts; Diking Improvement Districts - Improvement Districtss - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist) 1917 Ch. 85.20 RCW Above Above   Above  
Sewage Improvement Districts- Formerly under Title 85 After 1979 powers of title 85 1923 RCW 57.04.120-.130  Above Above   Above  
Emergency Medical Service Districts 1979 36.32.480 RCW 6 1 NA NA 
Emergency Service Communication District 1987 RCW 82.14B.070-.100 2 2 NA NA 
Fire Protection Districts 1933 Title 52 RCW 373 391 394 332
Regional Fire Protection Service Authority 2004 Ch. 52.26 RCW 4 NA NA NA
Flood Control        

10

16 1
Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty) 1913 Ch. 86.13 RCW Above Above    
Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act 1935, Repealed 1965 Ch.86.05 RCW Above Above   3
Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act 1937 Ch. 86.09 RCW Above Above   9
Flood Control Zone Districts 1961 Ch. 86.15 RCW 10 19 18  
Health Districts 1945 Ch. 70.46 RCW 12 13   9
Housing        
     
Public Housing Authorities 1939 Ch. 35.82 RCW 41 33   23
Joint City-county Housing Authorities 1980 RCW 35.82.300 Above Above   NA 
Irrigation & Reclamation         98 97 2 91
Irrigation Districtss 1890 Ch. 87.03 RCW Above Above   Above 
Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts 1961 Ch. 87.84 RCW Above Above   Above 
Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas 1943 Ch. 89.12 RCW Above Above    Above
Reclamation Districts of One Million Acres 1927 Ch. 89.30 RCW Above Above   Above 
Library Districts     Ch. 27.12 RCW 23 24 39  
Inter-County Rural Library Districts 1947 RCW 27.12.090 Above Above   5
Island Library Districts 1982 RCW 27.12.400 - .450 Above Above   NA 
Library Capital Facility Area 1995 Ch 27.15 RCW 10 9 8 NA 
Regional Library Districts 1935 RCW 27.12.080 Above Above  

Included with other library districts 

Rural County Library Districts 1941 RCW 27.12.040 - .070 Above Above   10
Rural Partial Library Districts 1993 RCW 27.12.470 Above Above   NA 
Mosquito Control Districts 1957 Ch. 17.28 RCW 17 15 14 5
Park & Recreation        
     
Metropolitan Park Districts 1907 Ch. 35.61 RCW 8 3 2 2
Park & Recreation Districts 1957 Ch. 36.69 RCW 42 52 54 4
Park & Recreation Service Areas 1963 RCW 36.68.400 - .620 7 7 - NA 
Joint Park & Recreation District 1979 RCW 36.68.420 - .460 Above 1 - -
Port Districts 1911 Title 53 RCW 75 76 76 72
Public Facilities Districts 1988 - county;
1999 - city
Ch. 36.100 RCW counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns 21 22    NA
Public Hospital Districts 1945 Ch. 70.44 RCW 56 57 56 33
Rural Public Hospital Districts (defined) 1992 RCW 70.44.450-.460 Above Above    NA
Public Stadium Authority 1997 Ch. 36.102 RCW 1 1   NA 
Public Utility Districts 1931 Title 54 RCW 27 30   30
Roads & Bridges Service Districts 1983 Ch. 36.83 RCW 1 Unknown 1   NA
School Districts 1889 Ch. 28A.315 RCW 296 296 296 408
Joint School Districts 1897 Ch. 28A.323 RCW Above Above   NA
Solid Waste Disposal Districts 
1982
RCW 36.58.100 2
2
NA
NA
Television Assessment Districts 1971 Ch. 36.95 RCW 6 10  NA NA
Transportation (Mass Transit)
City Transportation Authority (Monorail) 2002 Ch. 35.95A RCW, Ch. 248 Laws 2002 None 1  NA NA
County Public Transportation Authority 1974 Ch. 36.57 RCW 2 1  NA NA
Ferry Districts, Passenger Only 2003  Ch 36.54.110-.190 RCW, Ch. 83, Laws of 2003 1 0  NA NA
Public Transportation Benefit Area 1975 Ch. 36.57A RCW 21 19   NA
Regional Transit Authorities 1992 RCW 81.112 1 1  NA NA
Regional Transportation Investment Districts 2002   None
None
 NA NA
Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA) 1975 RCW 36.57.100 1 1   NA
Transportation Benefit District 1989 Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225  for city 5 1 1 NA
Water-Sewer Districts (Water-Sewer Districts, Water Districts, Sewer Districts) Sewer Dist 1941; water dist 1913; water-sewer consolidation 1971 Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Sewer Title 56, Water Title 57), reclassification 1997 185 209 126 water, 39 sewer 194
Other Types of Special Governments
Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts - Interlocal  1983 RCW 87.03.825 - .840 1 1    
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations 1957 Ch. 35.58 RCW & Ch. 36.56 RCW None None   2
Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution,  Cities & PUD) - Interlocal 1981 Ch. 43.52 RCW 1 1    
Weed Districts - Note change in legislation  Noxious Weed Control Boards RCW 17.10.900
1921 Ch. 17.04 RCW 11 10 5 15
Inter-County Regular Weed Districts 1959 Ch. 17.06 RCW Above 2    
TOTAL DISTRICTS     1644 1745 1545 2123
** Appendix C, Governmental Units in the State of Washington in Special Districts in the State of Washington. Report No. 150. Seattle: University of Washington, Bureau of Government Research & Services, 1963,