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1. Are there any funds or grants available to help pay for replacing my failed system?

There is a Private Sewage System Replacement or Rehabilitation Grant Program, the Wisconsin Fund, that may help pay for a portion of the costs. To be eligible for the program the following conditions must be met:

• The house or small commercial establishment served and the system being replaced must have been in place and in use by July 1, 1978.
• The county must have issued a violation correction order compelling the replacement of the system.
• The house must be owner occupied (it cannot be a rental property). A small commercial establishment must be operated by the owner.
• For a residence the maximum household income cannot exceed $45,000. The gross revenue for a small commercial establishment cannot exceed $362,500 and the daily wastewater flow must be less than 5,000 gallons per day.

The maximum grant available varies with the size and type of system being installed to meet the minimum code requirements.

2. How do I get a sanitary permit to install a septic system for a new residence?

• The first step is to have a soil / site evaluation conducted by a certified soil tester (soil / site evaluator). This was formerly referred to as a "perk test", but is now known as a "detailed soil morphological evaluation." This test involves digging at least 3 soil pits in a triangular shape so that the soil inside the triangle should be very similar to the soil observed in the test pits. The soil test identifies a suitable area to install a private onsite waste disposal system and determines the amount (inches) of suitable soil underneath the system.
• The second step is to have a plumber, engineer, or system designer design a private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS), formerly called a septic system, based on the findings of the soil test and the proposed use of the property. The use of the property is important because a residence will not have the same size system requirements as a commercial use and a 4 bedroom residence will not have the same size system requirements as a 2 bedroom residence. At this point you should also discuss the system sizing so the system can accommodate anticipated future additions to the residence.
• State Plan Approval is required before the county can issue any sanitary permit for a mound, at-grade, in-ground pressure, or holding tank system. The plumber, engineer, or system designer takes care of this step for the property owner. The length of time to receive State Plan Approval varies by season and the workload of the state. It can range from several days to several weeks. If the system was designed by an engineer or system designer you will need to decide on a plumber to install the system. A system designed by a plumber is required to be installed by that plumber.
• After the plans are approved by the state, the installing plumber will apply for the sanitary permit at the county level. Typically the county review and action on a sanitary permit application will take less than 1 week.
• The town, village, city, or county can now issue the building / zoning / land use permit authorizing construction of the proposed new structure.

3. Is a septic evaluation required to sell my property?

There is no state law or county ordinance requiring any private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS) to be evaluated before the sale of any property. However, it is often a requirement of the lending institution that will hold the mortgage for the buyer. The lending institution often resells the mortgage on the secondary market and a passing evaluation is usually required for a lending institution outside of the area to be interested in the mortgage.

In addition, often the new buyer will make an evaluation a condition of the purchase even if there is no lending institution. An evaluation provides some assurances that the system will not fail immediately after purchase. Replacing a failing POWTS is expensive.

Currently, there is no state law or county ordinance establishing the procedures to evaluate a system for the sale of property or establishing credentials for those qualified / able to evaluate systems in this situation.

4. Is maintenance required on my septic system?

Yes, all systems have a maintenance requirement. At least once every 3 years the septic tank and pump chamber, if applicable, must be pumped by a licensed pumping service and a report filed with the Environmental Health Department. Private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS) installed after July 1, 2000, have an Operation and Maintenance Manual, which dictates the type and frequency of maintenance to be performed upon the system. Failing to properly maintain the system can lead to premature system failure.

The department sends out a notice with a report form to everyone with a system meeting the specified requirements. If the owner does not file the report, as required, we are compelled to take action for compliance. This can include legal action and fines if the report is not filed.

5. What can I do to keep my septic system (mound, conventional, in-ground pressure or at-grade) working?

Browse through "To Avoid Problems" for a list of the top 10 things you can do to keep your system operating at the highest level possible.

6. What can I plant or place over my septic system?

Plant only grasses and shallow rooted vegetation. Roots from trees and bushes can clog or damage the absorption field. Do not dig into, build over, or cover the drainfield with a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete.

Grass will remove excess moisture and will allow more oxygen into the soil and into the system. Oxygen in the soil helps reduce the growth of anaerobic (without oxygen) bacteria that create a slime growth that can plug the soil pores and lead to a failing system. For mounds and at-grade systems the Small Scale Waste Management Project has a brochure, available from this department, titled "Locating and Landscaping the Mound System of On-Site Waste Disposal" that may be of assistance.

7. What do I need to do if I have a failing system that must be replaced?

• The first step is to have a soil test conducted by a certified soil tester (soil / site evaluator). This was formerly referred to as a "perk test", but is now known as a "detailed soil morphological evaluation." This test involves digging at least 3 soil pits in a triangular shape so that the soil inside the triangle should be very similar to the soil observed in the test pits. The soil test identifies a suitable area to install a private onsite waste disposal system and determines the amount (inches) of suitable soil underneath the system.
• The second step is to have a plumber, engineer or system designer design a private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS), formerly called a septic system, based on the findings of the soil test and the proposed use of the property. The use of the property is important because a residence will not have the same size system requirements as a commercial use and a 4 bedroom residence will not have the same size system requirements as a 2 bedroom residence. At this point you should also discuss the system sizing so the system can accommodate anticipated future additions to the residence.
• State Plan Approval is required before the county can issue any sanitary permit for a mound, at-grade, in-ground pressure, or holding tank system. The plumber, engineer, or system designer takes care of this step for the property owner. The length of time to receive State Plan Approval varies by season and the workload of the state. It can range from several days to several weeks. If the system was designed by an engineer or system designer you will need to decide on a plumber to install the system. A system designed by a plumber is required to be installed by that plumber.
• After the plans are approved by the state, the installing plumber will apply for the sanitary permit at the county level. Typically the county review and action on a sanitary permit application will take less than 1 week.