​Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Electronic Safety and Licensing Application (eSLA) is now live for POWTS Plan Review. Customers must use eSLA to submit plan reviews/permits, as well as search the Public Lookup for this program area.

Visit esla.wi.gov​ to get started, or go to the Customer Information​ page for​ instructions on first-time login.​

The Division of Industry Services (DIS) Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) Program protects public health and the waters of the state by regulating onsite wastewater treatment and recycling systems, and by promoting the use of the best available technology to provide onsite sewage treatment system solutions for property owners.​

DIS coordinates with local certified municipalities and counties which provide plan review for certain types of installations. If a municipality wants to become a delegated agent, please visit the Delegated Agents​ page.

​Questions regarding the POWTS code can be sent to DSPSSBPowtsTech@Wisconsin.gov.
​

POWTS Continuing Education 

The POWTS program is offering a monthly POWTS Update via Zoom. Each update will provide one hour of continuing education credit for certain POWTS credentials. They will be free to attend but you must pre-register so you will receive a link to the meeting. The updates will be held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 9:00 AM.​

​Register online here: https://boo​kwhen.com/wipowts

​In-Person soils training is also available from DSPS. Go to this website to see dates and locations and to get registered: https://bookwhen.com/wipowts​​ 

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Plan Reviews

Start at the Plan Review page for information about the types of plan reviews required and how to submit electronically. Also check the Delegated Agent List to see if you can submit your plan review to the local municipality in lieu of DIS.

​ Plan Which Can Only Be Submitted to DIS

  • POWTS owned by the State; facilities owned by the State and served by POWTS.
  • POWTS that will not completely utilize a component manual or approved plumbing products; designs which do not utilize an approved component manual (called "Individual Site Designs"); and experiments. 

​Plans Which Can Be Submitted to DIS or a Designated Agent​

  • POWTS that are completely designed according to a component manual or are approved plumbing products. Designs which do not utilize an approved component manual are called "Individual Site Designs."
  • Holding tanks that have a product approval and comply with a component manual.

​ Plans Which Should Be Submitted to the Local Government Unit

  • POWTS that serve a single one- or two-family dwelling utilizing an approved component manual and gravity distribution to an in-ground distribution cell.

​Visit Public Lookup​ on eSLA to find approvals for plumbing products.




Inspections

Counties have the primary responsibility to inspect POWTS, with the exception of state-owned projects​​​.​​

Form​s​​​
​​FormDescription
SBD-6153
 Sanitary Permit Submittal Summa​ry 
​SBD-6499​Sanitary Permit Card can be ordered from the Green Bay Office
​SBD-6398
SBD-6398		​Sanitary Permit Application (Submit to County) (PDF)
Sanitary Permit Application (Submit to County) (Word)
​SBD-6412​Soil Saturation Determination Report
​SBD-6710​POWTS Inspection Report
​SBD-7987​Soil Saturation Determination Report (Hydrograph Method)
​SBD-8330
SBD-8330		​Soil and Site Evaluation Report (PDF)
Soil and Site Evaluation Report (Word​)
​SBD-10577
SBD-10577

​POWTS Application for Review (PDF)
POWTS Application for Review (fill-in)

Online Application for Review ​via eSLA 
​SBD-10842​Application for Registration of Privies Serving State-Owned Facilities
​SBD-9890X​Application for Review, Petition for Variance
​SBD​6154​
Application for Plumbing Review​

Factsheets

​Document
​At-Risk Facilities​
​High-Stength Facilities
​License Requirements for POWTS Activities​​

FAQs

Document
​Preventing System Freeze-ups
​POWTS Safety Reminders

Publications

DocumentDescription
​POWTS Brochure​​​​​
​Your Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Guidance Brochure
​Maintenance Brochure
​Maintaining Your Septic System Brochure
​Maintenance Program Brochure​
​Information on Wisconsin's POWTS Maintenance Program
COVID-19 and the Impacts on Septic Systems
COVID-19 and Septic Systems
POWTS Components Manuals
Link takes you to eSLA to search for Products - Plumbing - POWTS Component Manuals​​
POWTS Flooding Guidance August 2016
What To Do After A Flood
Grass is Greener
Is the Grass Greener Over Your Septic System?
POWTS Inspector Handbook
Educational Handbook
Soil and Site Evaluation Handbook​
Educational Handbook
​POWTS License Renewal Information​
​POWTS License Renewal Information

POWTS Standard Plan Pages Table of Con​tents​
General Instructions​
​D​​ocument
​General Instructions
​Instructions At-Grade
Instructions Holding Tank​​
​Instructions In-Ground
​Instructions Mound
​Instructions Plot Plan

​
Index Pages
​D​​ocument
​Index At-Grade
​Index EZ Flow Mound
​Index Holding Tank
​Index In-Ground Dosed-Gravity
​Index In-Ground Gravity
​Index In-Ground Press
​Index Mound

Plot Plan Pages
​D​​ocument
Plot Plan 1=20 off
​Plot Plan 1=20 on
​Plot Plan 1=30 off
Plot Plan 1=30​ on
Plot Plan 1=40 off
​Plot Plan 1=40 on
​Plot Plan 1=50 off
​Plot Plan 1=50 on
​Plot Plan 1=60 off
​Plot Plan 1=60 on


Plot Plan .dwg Templates
AutoCAD 2000
AutoCAD 2009​

​
Dispersal Area Pages

In-Ground Gravity

​
​Aggregate
Aggregate In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - Stepped Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - Stepped Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Gravity - Stepped Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Gravity - Uniform Elevation

EZ-Flow
​EZ In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - 3ft Stepped Elevation
EZ In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - 3ft Uniform Elevation
EZ In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - 6ft Uniform Elevation
EZ In-Ground Gravity - 3ft Stepped Elevation
EZ In-Ground Gravity - 3ft Uniform Elevation
EZ In-Ground Gravity - 6ft Uniform Elevation

Chambers
Chambers In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - 3ft Stepped Elevation
Chambers In-Ground Dosed-Gravity - 3ft Uniform Elevation
Chambers In-Ground Gravity - 3ft Stepped Elevation
Chambers In-Ground Gravity - 3ft Uniform Elevation


In-Ground Pressure

Aggregate
Aggregate In-Ground Pressure - 1 Pipe Stepped Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Pressure - 1 Pipe Uniform Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Pressure - 2 Pipe Stepped Elevation
Aggregate In-Ground Pressure - 2 Pipe Uniform Elevation

EZ-Flow
EZ In-Ground Pressure - 3ft Stepped Elevation
EZ In-Ground Pressure - 3ft Uniform Elevation
EZ In-Ground Pressure - 6ft Stepped Elevation
EZ In-Ground Pressure - 6ft Uniform Elevation

Chambers
Chambers In-Ground Pressure - 3ft Stepped Elevation
Chambers In-Ground Pressure - 3ft Uniform Elevation


At-Grade

Document
At-Grade Sloping - Site 1 Pipe
At-Grade Level - Site 1 Pipe
At-Grade Level - Site 2 Pipe
At-Grade Level - Site 3 Pipe


Mound

Aggregate Mound: 1 Cell
Aggregate Mound Level 2 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Level 3 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 1 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 3 Pipe

Aggregate: 2 Cells
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell 1 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell 2 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell 3 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 1 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 2 Pipe
Aggregate Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 3 Pipe

EZ-Flow: 1 Cell
EZ Mound Slope 3ft
EZ Mound Slope 4ft
EZ Mound Slope 5ft
EZ Mound Slope 6ft
EZ Mound Slope 8ft
EZ Mound Slope 9ft
​EZ Mound Slope 10ft

EZ-Flow: 2 Cells
EZ Mound Level 2 Cell 3ft
EZ Mound Level 2 Cell 4ft
EZ Mound Level 2 Cell 5ft
EZ Mound Level 2 Cell 6ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell 3ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell 4ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell 5ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell 6ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 3ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 4ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 5ft
EZ Mound Slope 2 Cell Step 6ft

Pressure Lateral Pages
​
​D​​ocument
1 Lateral
1 Lateral Step Cell
2 Lateral
2 Lateral Step Cell
3 Lateral
3 Lateral Step Cell

Tank Pages
Pump Tank: Pressure
Pump Tank Check Valve
Pump Tank FM Filter
Pump Tank Standard

Pump Tank: Gravity Dose
Gravity-Dosed Pump Tank Check Valve
Gravity-Dosed Pump Tank FM Filter
Gravity-Dosed Pump Tank Standard

Holding Tank
Holding Tank 1 Compartment
Holding Tank 2 Compartments
Holding Tank 3 Compartments

Management Plan Pages​
​
​D​ocument
Manage In-Ground Gravity
Manage In-Ground Dosed-Gravity
Manage In-Ground Pressure
Manage At-Grade
Manage Mound
Manage Holding Tank

Videos

VideoDescription
Septic Smart for Homeowners
Septic system basics and how to protect your investment - 1 hour​
POWTS Update March 2022
Excavating and Trenching Safety by OSHA - 1 hour​
POWTS Update May 2022
WI DNR on Large POWTS and Non-domestic Wastewater​ - 1 hour​
POWTS Update October 2022
Electrical for POWTS​​ - 1 hour​
​​
​ ​

Additional Resources

Administrative Rules & Statutes

Code Archives

​Trades Program Information

Inspection District Map

POWTS License Lookup and Renewal Information​​

​

Related Links

EPA - Septic Systems​​

Resources from the UW-Madison Department of Soil Science Small Scale Wastewater Management Program​ ​

National ​​Environmental Services Center - Septic System Information​

Video - I​s your septic failing?

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