Washington County, Wisconsin septic permits and requirements

Permitting authority

Washington County Natural Resources Department — Land Use / POWTS program

Washington County Natural Resources Department, 333 E. Washington Street, Suite 2300, West Bend, WI 53095; phone 262-335-4445; [email protected].

Wisconsin POWTS framework

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services identifies counties as having the primary responsibility to inspect Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, except for state-owned projects. DSPS also provides the statewide sanitary permit application, soil/site evaluation forms, inspection forms, and POWTS plan-review resources used with local county administration.

Use current county and state approvals together

County sanitary permits are part of Wisconsin's POWTS regulatory system. Depending on system type and project scope, state plan approval or other review may be required in addition to the county permit. The county page below identifies the local filing path and should be checked before construction or alteration.

County permit required for installation or repair

Washington County states that installation or repair of a septic system requires the property owner to obtain a Washington County sanitary permit. A Master Plumber or Master Plumber-Restricted Sewer is the responsible party for obtaining the permit and for installation or repair work.

Application package

The county directs applicants to submit a sanitary permit application, site plan, site evaluation, and system design. It also notes that certain POWTS require state approval before the county sanitary permit application can be completed.

Inspection after permitting

Washington County states that a county Land Use Inspector conducts inspections to verify that the POWTS is installed in compliance with state codes.

Repairs and alterations should be cleared first

The county instructs homeowners to contact the department before work on a POWTS other than routine septic-tank service. It specifically notes that repairs, alterations, extensions, or additions may require county permits and that state licensing requirements apply to the person performing regulated work.

County records and maintenance reporting

Washington County provides a POWTS search and reporting system containing installed-system information and scanned designs/site layouts, while licensed service providers can report maintenance electronically.

Official sources

SepticScope summarizes public-agency information for planning purposes. The permitting agency's current instructions control if they differ from this guide.