This Department administers the Sheboygan County Sanitary Ordinance and SPS 383 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, which regulate the installation and maintenance of Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS), better known as “septic systems.” In 2000 both codes were revised. One of the provisions of the new codes requires that every inspection/servicing event for every septic system must be reported to the county. SPS 383.54(4) further requires that all septic systems, regardless of when they were installed, must be inspected/serviced a minimum of once every three (3) years.

Maintenance involves the visual inspection of the system by a licensed master plumber, master plumber-restricted service, certified POWTS inspector, registered POWTS maintainer, or licensed pumping service, and includes pumping of the septic tank(s) and pump chamber (for dosing, in-ground, at-grade, and mound systems) by a licensed pumping service if the sludge and scum occupy more than 1/3 of the tank capacity.

This Department sends property owners a First and Final letter to indicate maintenance of the septic system is due. To avoid possible noncompliance penalties, you may want to make immediate arrangements with a pumper or licensed individual to ensure they can schedule a good time for you, complete the work, and submit the form online by the deadline established in the aforementioned letter. In the event you receive your First and Final letter and realize your septic system has been pumped or inspected within the past 2 years, it is not necessary to have the work redone. Please have the pumper/inspector complete the online report. Reports must be submitted within 30 days and it is the homeowner's ultimate responsibility to verify the online report has been submitted.

Because of the thousands of systems due for maintenance each year, please note the following:

• Extensions cannot be granted for sale of property, personal convenience, etc.
• Maintenance scheduled too late to meet the deadline is NOT an exception (allow at least 3-4 weeks from the time of scheduling for pumpers to be able to complete the work and submit the form, assuming payment is made immediately).
• Work completed, but report not signed or submitted by pumping service, due to nonpayment issues, is NOT an exception.

Please understand the possibility of citations or legal action does exist if you fail to comply within the established deadline. We hope you understand that, although this program is a state requirement, the regular maintenance investment promises to pay off for you by prolonging your system life and improving its operation as well as protecting the environment and public health. If you have questions regarding this matter or wish to know the date of your next scheduled maintenance event, please do not hesitate to contact this Department at 920-459-3060.