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 = No boring < Nov = 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

Pass/Fail History %

Failure rate drops nearly 10% every 5 yrs!

Pass/Fail History %

Evaluation trends in 2004

Pass/Fail % Trends 2004

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 (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 separation above BR or HGW A - Horizon E - Horizon B - Horizon C - Horizon R - Horizon Topsoil Subsoil Sub- stratum Bedrock Back Fill Bottom of system Surface

Soil Boring

Suitable Soil Concept Seasonal Soil Saturation Shallow Bedrock

Soil Treatment Vertical Separation –Two or three feet to Groundwater or bedrock System Elevation Ground Water or Bedrock 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

Surface Discharge

“Buyer Beware”

Green = Yes Yellow = Pending Pink = No Green = Yes Yellow = Pending Pink = No