Door County, WI

Door County Policy/Ordinance

• 15 days prior to closing

• Seller’s responsibility

• Evals. good for 24 months

• System <1 yr old does not require eval.

• All septic tanks are being put in 3 yr Maint Cycle

• All evaluations conducted by private contractor and verified by county

Time Of Sale Evaluation

• Review records on existing POWTS

• System installed > Nov. 1974 = No boring

• < Nov. 1974 = Needs boring

• Dig Boring/Pit for Drainfield Evaluation

• (if necessary)

• Inspect ST

• County may Camera Existing Tank(s)

• Pass/Fail System

Suitable Soil Concept

Seasonal Soil Saturation

Shallow Bedrock

Realtor’s Responses• Then

• Unnecessary burden

• Hurts Resale

• More Expense

• Now• Benefits all parties

• Accepted policy puts everyone with same requirements

• Expense(s) diffused using both buyer & seller– (Escrow account and/or bargaining tool)

County obligation to

verify evaluations and

issue order to replace

Rules, Uniformity,

and Safeguards

History of TOS in Door County

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

45019

86

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Total

Passing

Failing

Pass/Fail History %

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

9019

86

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Pass

Fail

Failure rate drops nearly 10% every 5 yrs!

Pass/Fail History %

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

9019

86

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Pass

Fail

Evaluation trends in 2004

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Total

Pass

Fail

Pass/Fail % Trends 2004

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Pass

Fail

Summary• Vested interest for lending institutions to protect

investment• Escrowed options help buyer & seller• “Buyer Beware” problem negated• Realtors influence - pressure local supervisors• Little options available for safe water (mutual interests)• Not an out of sight, out of mind issue• What happens on one property affects everyone• If soils used to site new POWTS, why not existing

POWTS?• County Uniformity?• County Application?

What is stopping us from verifying evaluations of existing

systems at the county level?

Is that good enough?

Who benefits?

Why don’t we think evaluating existing POWTS is as important as dealing with new POWTS?

Is our job to protect groundwater/surface water?

Why are we letting lending institutions determine what

systems pass or fail?

If we use soils data to site new system,

why not use soils data to evaluate existing system?

Definition of a Failing System• Wis.Stats 145.25(4)

• A failing system is one which causes or results in any of the following conditions:

• The discharge of sewage into surface water or groundwater.

• The introduction of sewage into zones of saturation which adversely affects the operation of a private sewage system.

• The discharge of sewage to a drain tile or into zones of bedrock.

• The discharge of sewage to the surface of the ground

• The failure to accept sewage discharges and back up of sewage into the structure served by the private sewage system.

Vertical Separation Concept

Min 3.0 ft vertical separationabove BR or HGW

A - Horizon

E - Horizon

B - Horizon

C - Horizon

R - Horizon

Topsoil

Subsoil

Sub-stratum

Bedrock

BackFill

Bottomof system

Surface

Soil Boring

Soil Boring

Suitable Soil Concept

Seasonal Soil Saturation

Shallow Bedrock

Soil Treatment

• Vertical Separation– Two or three feet to

• Groundwater or bedrock

SystemElevation

GroundWater orBedrock

Distribution Cell

Soil

Wastewater

When are we all going to agree that soil is the most important

factor in determining the operation of a POWTS, new or

existing?

Steel Tanks

Steel Tanks

Surface Discharge

“Buyer Beware”

Green = Yes

Yellow = Pending

Pink = No

Green = Yes

Yellow = Pending

Pink = No