Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Safety and Professional Services › SPS 301-399 - Safety, Buildings, and Environment › SPS 380-387 - Plumbing › Chapter SPS 383 - Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems › Appendix - APPENDIX

Current through June 24, 2024
The material and information contained in this appendix is
					 for clarification purposes only. Appendix material and information are numbered
					 to correspond to the rule number as it appears in the text of the code.
					 Material and information included in this appendix is subject to change without
					 notice, including names, addresses, phone numbers and forms, and reflects
					 information known at the time of publication.
A-383.21 (3) PROCESSING. The specific format of a sanitary
					 permit application is specified by the department and may change depending on
					 the data tracking needs of the department. The uniform application form issued
					 by the department is to be used by all permit issuing agents. It may consist of
					 a paper or electronic format, or both. The sanitary permit application form
					 will require the applicant to report information pertinent to the ownership,
					 use, location, system type, maintenance schedule, and responsible installer.
					 Additionally, plans and specifications for the project must also be submitted
					 with, and are part of, the permit application. Fees for the sanitary permit are
					 based on a statutory minimum as cited in s.
					 145.19(2),
					 Wis. Stats., and any additional costs levied by the issuing agent.
The state sanitary permit is issued when evidence and
					 documentation is presented by the owner of the property that minimum code
					 standards have been or will be met.
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Chapter 145 Wisconsin Statutes provides some direction as
					 to the issuance of sanitary permits as follows:
145.135 Sanitary permits.
(1) Validity. In this section, "sanitary permit" means a
					 permit issued by the department or any governmental unit responsible for the
					 regulation of private sewage systems for the installation of a private sewage
					 system. No person may install a private sewage system unless the owner of the
					 property on which the private sewage system is to be installed holds a valid
					 sanitary permit. A sanitary permit is valid for 2 years from the date of issue
					 and renewable for similar periods thereafter. A governmental unit responsible
					 for the regulation of private sewage systems may not charge more than one fee
					 for a sanitary permit or the renewal of a sanitary permit in any 12-month
					 period. A sanitary permit shall remain valid to the end of the established
					 period, notwithstanding any change in the state plumbing code or in any private
					 sewage system ordinance during that period. A sanitary permit may be
					 transferred from the holder to a subsequent owner of the land, except that the
					 subsequent owner must obtain a new copy of the sanitary permit from the issuing
					 agent. The results of any percolation test or other test relating to the
					 disposal of liquid domestic wastes into the soil shall be retained by the
					 governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private sewage systems
					 where the property is located. The governmental unit responsible for the
					 regulation of private sewage systems shall make the test results available to
					 an applicant for a sanitary permit and shall accept the test results as the
					 basis for a sanitary permit application unless the soil at the test site is
					 altered to the extent that a new soil test is necessary.
(2) Notice. A sanitary permit shall include a notice
					 displayed conspicuously and separately on the permit form, to inform the permit
					 holder that:
(a) The purpose of the sanitary permit is to allow
					 installation of the private sewage system described in the permit.
(b) The approval of the sanitary permit is based on
					 regulations in force on the date of approval.
(c) The sanitary permit is valid and may be renewed for a
					 specified period.
(d) Changed regulations will not impair the validity of a
					 sanitary permit.
(e) Renewal of the sanitary permit will be based on
					 regulations in force at the time renewal is sought, and that changed
					 regulations may impede renewal.
(f) The sanitary permit is transferable.
145.19 Sanitary permit.
(1) Requirement; information; forms. No septic tank may be
					 purchased and no private sewage system may be installed unless the owner of the
					 property on which the private sewage system is to be installed holds a valid
					 sanitary permit from the governmental unit responsible for the regulation of
					 private sewage systems in which the property is located. The department shall
					 prescribe the information to be included in the sanitary permit and furnish
					 sanitary permit forms to the governmental unit. The applicant shall submit the
					 completed sanitary permit to the governmental unit. The governmental unit shall
					 approve or disapprove the sanitary permit according to the rules promulgated by
					 the department under this chapter. No person may sell at retail, as defined
					 under s.
					 100.201(1)
					 (d), a septic tank for installation in this
					 state unless the purchaser holds a valid sanitary permit issued under this
					 section.
(2) Fee. No fee for a sanitary permit may be less than $61,
					 or the amount determined under department rule. The governing body for the
					 governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private sewage systems may
					 establish a fee for a sanitary permit which is more than $61, or the amount
					 determined under department rule.
(3) Copy of permit forwarded to the department. The
					 governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private sewage systems
					 shall forward a copy of each valid sanitary permit and $20, or the amount
					 determined under department rule, of the fee to the department within 90 days
					 after the permit is issued.
(4) Use of fee. The portion of this fee retained by the
					 governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private sewage systems
					 shall be used for the administration of private sewage system programs.
(5) Fee adjustment. The department, by rule promulgated
					 under ch. 227, may adjust the minimum permit fee under sub. (2) and the fee
					 portion forwarded under sub. (3).
(6) Groundwater fee. In addition to the fee under sub. (2),
					 the governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private sewage systems
					 shall collect a groundwater fee of $25 for each sanitary permit. The
					 governmental unit shall forward this fee to the department together with the
					 copy of the sanitary permit and the fee under sub. (3). The moneys collected
					 under this subsection shall be credited to the environmental fund for
					 environmental management.
A-383.22 (3) PLAN REVIEW PROCESS. All proposed POWTS
					 installations require plan review prior to sanitary permit issuance. Projects
					 subject to department review include all projects under Table 383.22-1, and
					 many of the projects under Table 383.22-2. Designated agents may review
					 projects included in Table 383.22-2.
A-383.25 (2) ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMITS. A building
					 permit is defined in s. SPS 381.01 (43), Wis. Adm. Code, as any written
					 permission from a municipality that allows construction to commence on a
					 structure. In effect, this means that land use and zoning permits, as well as
					 other similar permits that constitute permission to construct are considered
					 building permits.
Prior to building permit issuance, the issuing agent has a
					 statutory responsibility, under s.
					 145.195,
					 Wis. Stats., to consider whether or not the proposed structure requires
					 connection to a private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS), or if the
					 construction will interfere with the operation of an existing POWTS.
Section
					 145.195,
					 Stats. Building on unsewered property. (1) No county, city, town or village may
					 issue a building permit for construction of any structure requiring connection
					 to a private domestic sewage treatment and disposal system unless a system
					 satisfying all applicable regulations already exists to serve the proposed
					 structure or all permits necessary to install such a system have been
					 obtained.
(2) Before issuing a building permit for construction on
					 any structure on property not served by a municipal sewage treatment plant, the
					 county, city, town or village shall determine that the proposed construction
					 does not interfere with a functioning private domestic sewage treatment and
					 disposal system. The county, city, town or village may require building permit
					 applicants to submit a detailed plan of the owner's existing private domestic
					 sewage treatment and disposal system.
A-383.25 (2) (f) Setbacks. Horizontal setbacks from
					 encumbrance for new POWTS installations are in conformance with Table 383.43-1
					 or the rules in effect at the time the system was installed, which ever is
					 less. For setback distances associated with previous administrative codes refer
					 to the previous code issue or the following table.
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Footnotes:
a. Includes water-tight cesspools, sewage tanks, septic
					 tanks, dosing chambers.
b. Lake category includes lakes, streams or other
					 watercourses.
c. Lake category includes lakes, streams, rivers, ponds,
					 flowages and reservoirs.
d. The code required 5 feet of soil over GW or BR. It is
					 assumed that a 3 foot separation was maintained.
e. Seepage pits shall not extend into creviced rock
					 formations.
f. May be reduced to 50 feet if well is drilled and cased
					 to 100 ft.
g. Means a dwelling.
h. Refers to habitable or occupied bldg with below grade
					 foundation/habitable bldg on slab/uninhabited bldg on slab.
I. Refers to habitable buildings/uninhabited
					 buildings.
j. Refers to below ground/above ground swimming
					 pools.
k. Refers to normal soil/very coarse textured soil.
l. Distance listed is an example typical for residential
					 application. Code references NR 811 and NR 812.
m. Code references Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) of
					 navigable waters
n. Distance listed is an example of a typical setback. Code
					 references NR 811.
A-383.43 (6) COMMERCIAL FACILITIES. Table A-383.43-1 may be
					 used to estimate wastewater flows from a commercial building.
Source
Unit
Estimated Wastewater Flow
								  (gpd)
Apartment or condominium
Bedroom
100
Assembly hall (no kitchen)
Person (10 sq. ft./person)
1.3
Bar or cocktail lounge (no meals served)
Patron (10 sq. ft./patron)
4
Bar or cocktail lounge 
								  a (w/meals - all paper
								  service)
Patron (10 sq. ft./patron)
8
Beauty salon
Station
90
Bowling alley
Bowling lane
80
Bowling alley (with bar)
Bowling lane
150
Camp, day and night
Person
25
Camp, day use only (no meals served)
Person
10
Campground or camping resort
Space, with sewer connection and/or service
								  building
30
Campground sanitary dump station
Camping unit or RV served
25
Catch basin
Basin
65
Church (no kitchen)
Person
2
Church 
								  a (with kitchen)
Person
5
Dance hall
Person (10 sq. ft./person)
2
Day care facility (no meals prepared)
Child
12
Day care facility 
								  a (with meal
								  preparation)
Child
16
Dining hall 
								  a (kitchen waste only
								  without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Meal served
2
Dining hall 
								  a (toilet and kitchen
								  waste without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Meal served
5
Dining hall 
								  a (toilet and kitchen
								  waste with dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Meal served
7
Drive-in restaurant 
								  a (all paper service with
								  inside seating)
Patron seating space
10
Drive-in restaurant 
								  a (all paper service
								  without inside seating)
Vehicle space
10
Drive-in theater
Vehicle space
3
Employees (total all shifts)
Employee
13
Floor drain (not discharging to catch
								  basin)
Drain
25
Gas station / convenience store
Patron
3
Gas station (with service bay)
Patron
Service bay
Patron
Service bay
3
50
Hospital 
								  a
Bed space
135
Hotel, motel, or tourist rooming house
Room
65
Manufactured home (served by its own
								  POWTS)
Bedroom
100
Manufactured home community
Manufactured home site
200
Medical office building 
								  b
Doctors, nurses, medical staff
Office personnel
Patients
Person
Person
Person
50
13
6.5
Migrant labor camp (central bathhouse)
Employee
20
Nursing, rest home, community-based residential
								  facility 
								  ab
Bed space
65
Outdoor sport facilities (toilet waste
								  only)
Patron
3.5
Parks (toilets waste only)
Patron (75 patrons/acre)
3.5
Parks (toilets and showers)
Patron (75 patrons/acre)
6.5
Public shower facility
Shower taken
10
Restaurant 
								  a, 24-hr. (dishwasher
								  and/or food waste grinder only)
Patron seating space
4
Restaurant 
								  a, 24-hr. (kitchen waste
								  only without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
12
Restaurant, 24-hr. (toilet waste)
Patron seating space
28
Restaurant 
								  a, 24-hr. (toilet and
								  kitchen waste without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
40
Restaurant 
								  a, 24-hr. (toilet and
								  kitchen waste with dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
44
Restaurant 
								  a (dishwasher and/or food
								  waste grinder only)
Patron seating space
2
Restaurant 
								  a (kitchen waste only
								  without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
6
Restaurant (toilet waste)
Patron seating space
14
Restaurant 
								  a (toilet and kitchen
								  waste without dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
20
Restaurant 
								  a (toilet and kitchen
								  waste with dishwasher and/or food waste grinder)
Patron seating space
22
Retail store
Patron (70% of total retail area / sq. ft. per
								  patron)
1
School 
								  a (with meals and
								  showers)
Classroom (25 students/ classroom)
500
School 
								  a (with meals or
								  showers)
Classroom (25 students/ classroom)
400
School (without meals or showers)
Classroom (25 students/ classroom)
300
Self-service laundry 
								  c (toilet waste
								  only)
Clothes washer
33
Self-service laundry 
								  c (with only residential
								  clothes washers)
Clothes washer
400
Swimming pool bathhouse
Patron
6.5
a Expected to be high in
					 biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), or fats, oils,
					 and grease (FOG).
b At-risk system (potentially
					 high in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), or fats,
					 oils, and grease (FOG)).
A-383.43 (6) (a) Actual meter readings may be used to
					 calculate the combined estimated design wastewater flow from a dwelling. To
					 calculate the estimated design wastewater flow use the following formula and
					 compare the answer to the peak metered flow. Choose the larger of the two
					 estimated design flows.
(total meter flow/number of readings)(1.5) = estimated
					 design wastewater flow
The frequency of meter readings should be daily for
					 commercial.
A-383.43 (6) (b) A detailed per capita and per function
					 flow may be established for commercial facilities. The per function flow
					 ratings shall be substantiated by manufactures data of the per function flow
					 and detailed use data from the facility in question or a similar facility under
					 similar conditions of use. Estimated design wastewater flow shall be at least
					 1.5 times the total estimated daily flow calculated from the per capita and per
					 function flow information.
A-383.43 (7) ESTIMATING CONTAMINANT LOADS.
Pathogenic contaminant load may be estimated based on data
					 collected by a reputable testing or research facility.
Typical Data on the Unit Loading Factors and Expected
					 Wastewater Contaminant Loads from Individual Residences
Contaminant
Unit Loading Factor lb/capita per
								  day
Value
Unit
Range
Typical
BOD5
0.180
mg/L
216-540
392
SS
0.200
mg/L
240-600
436
NH3 as N
0.007
mg/L
7-20
14
Org. N as N
0.020
mg/L
24-60
43
TKN as N
0.027
mg/L
31-80
57
Org P as P
0.003
mg/L
4-10
7
Inorg. P as P
0.006
mg/L
6-17
12
Grease
mg/L
45-100
70
Total Coliform
cfu/100mL
107-1010
108
A-383.43 (8) (g) ANCHORING SYSTEM COMPONENTS.
The anchoring of components to counter buoyant forces due
					 to saturated soil conditions can be determined using the following
					 formula:
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