Private Wells & Septic Systems
We issue permits and inspect private septic systems and private wells to protect county surface and groundwater resources from contamination.
Private wells
Making sure your well is in a good location and you take care of it regularly reduces the chance that contaminants can make you sick. We issue well location permits and offer water testing.
Before you build a well, you are required to get a well location permit. We make sure your well is properly setback from potential sources of contamination.
Call us at 608-242-6515 for details about the permit and the process for building a well in Dane County.
You also need a well construction permit from the DNR. A licensed well professional usually handles this for the owner.
Maintaining your well regularly helps it operate properly, protecting your water quality and health.
General Maintenance
- Well Owners Guide, National Groundwater Association
- Bacterial Contamination of Drinking Water Wells, WI Department of Natural Resources
- Test your well water every year for contaminants including coliform, bacteria, and nitrates. You should also test if you notice any change in taste, smell, or appearance, and after flooding.
- It’s very important to test for nitrate in households with pregnant people, infants, and young children. Nitrate can reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen. In infants it can cause a serious condition called "blue baby syndrome."
- PFAS have been found at high levels in some Dane County wells. You may want to test for these chemicals if other wells in your area have tested high, or there is a known source of PFAS contamination in the area.
- Visit our Drinking Water Testing page for testing information or call our lab at 608-243-0357. We can recommend other tests depending on your well's location, age, etc.
Abandoned or unused wells can contaminate the aquifer. This can affect the safety and quality of ground water and drinking water. Financial help for well abandonment may be available from the WI Well Compensation grant program.
- Well Decommissioning, Dane County Land & Water Resources Dept.
- Finding Old Wells, WI Department of Natural Resources
- Well Filling and Sealing, WI Department of Natural Resources
- Abandonment of Wells, WI Legislation
- Information for homeowners with private wells, WI Department of Natural Resources
- Drinking water tests for private wells, WI Department of Natural Resources
Private Septic Systems
Septic systems must be properly designed, installed, and maintained. This protects our ground and surface waters and reduces the spread of disease.
Look up an active private septic system in Dane County.
(Scroll to bottom of page and click "search permit applications" under Permitting)
- In the search screen that comes up, you can search by the address or the parcel number. Do not try to search both at the same time.
- If you search by address, enter the street number in the “Street No.” field, then enter the first 2 or three letters of the street name in the “Street Name” field (i.e. “Sta” for State Highway 32 or “Bai” for Bailey Rd). Do not enter direction, street type, unit type, unit no., city, state, zip, or parcel.
- If you search by parcel number, enter the 12-digit parcel number without dashes (i.e. “090737520001” for 0907- 375-2000-1). Do not fill in any other fields.
- Your search results will appear at the bottom of the screen. You may have to scroll down to see your results.
- In the list of results, the septic system ID or record number will be bold and underlined. Click on the septic system ID to get more information. If multiple records are listed, click on each record to find the correct system.
- Detailed Instructions for Looking Up Septic System Records
We issue sanitary permits to make sure private septic systems are:
- Installed in appropriate soil
- In the proper location
- The proper size so waste doesn’t cause a public health hazard
We work with you to:
- Review septic designs
- Issue permits
- Inspect system construction
- Oversee required septic inspections and maintenance
- Install a new private septic system or replace a system
- Repair, extend, or enlarge an existing private septic system
- Reconnect to an existing private septic system
- Modify an existing private septic system in some other way
- Have a soil evaluation done by a licensed certified soil tester.
- Get a system design from a licensed professional. Options include a Master Plumber, Master Plumber Restricted, or a Certified Designer. A professional engineer may have the credentials to design a septic system in some cases.
- Ask your licensed professional to submit your Sanitary Permit Application to us. For information about fees, see Well & Septic Program Fee Schedule. If your proposed system requires plan review, your designer needs to complete the Plan Review Application. They must send it to our office with the sanitary permit application, or to WI DSPS for review.
- We will review your plans and permit application, and then issue a plan approval or a sanitary permit.
We want to better serve you! Fill out our 2-minute anonymous feedback survey about your health inspection.
All septic systems in Dane County must be inspected and serviced on a regular basis to make sure that they’re working correctly. This prevents septic system failures or helps to identify them as quickly as possible.
Inspection frequency. State and county law requires an inspection every three years for most systems. If that inspection finds the tank(s) to be 1/3rd or more full with combined scum and sludge, the tank(s) also need to be pumped.
Inspection details. A septic system inspection includes visual examination of all components and the area around the components to determine if the system is operating correctly. An inspection alone is enough to satisfy triennial maintenance requirements if the tanks are less than 1/3rd full of combined scum and sludge. Levels of scum and sludge must be measured during the inspection to satisfy triennial maintenance requirements.
Service details. Septic system service includes pumping to remove sludge and scum from the tank, cleaning of filters, pump repair, and other operations depending on the needs of your system.
Reporting to us. You are responsible for getting your system inspection and service done and making sure this information is sent to us. Most septic pumpers can submit the maintenance report for you online. Make sure to provide the notice you received to them. Septic pumpers only report service after receiving payment. If your report has not yet been submitted, please check with the pumper to make sure they have received your payment.
Service frequency. Most septic systems require service every three years. Some septic systems need service on a more frequent basis. This is to keep filters clean or make sure mechanical systems are working correctly. If you have questions, check with your septic pumper. You can also call us at 608-242-6515, or email us.
Maintenance fees. The septic maintenance fee is $12.00 per year per septic system. You will see this on your property tax bill. Tax exempt properties will get something that looks like a property tax bill, but it will only have the private maintenance fee.
Failing systems. If you are having problems with your system, your system may be starting to fail. Work with a professional to determine how to fix the problem.
Inspection and maintenance forms:
Septic Maintenance professionals:
- See a list of septic professionals that work in Dane County. This is not an endorsement of any one professional over another. You can also find a septic professional by searching the internet.
We want to better serve you! Fill out our 2-minute anonymous feedback survey about your health inspection.
Maintenance Oversight
We enforce Dane County's septic inspection and service rules by:
- Sending reminder notices to private septic system owners to submit their maintenance report.
- Notices go to the mailing address listed in Access Dane. Make sure your mailing address is correct (it should be the same place your property tax bill goes). Read what to do if you need your mailing address changed.
- Reviewing maintenance and pumping reports to make sure systems are working properly.
- Correcting problems on maintenance reports and making sure people comply with reporting requirements. This includes issuing orders and citations, investigating property condition and ownership, and referral to Dane County Corporation Counsel for further legal action.
- Making sure that septic systems that no longer work or meet state or local regulations are abandoned properly.
If you live in Dane County you’re required to report the abandonment of your septic system to us. Notifying us right away helps prevent you from being charged a maintenance fee in future years. To find out if your system abandonment has been reported, please email us or call 608-242-6515.
- Licensed Septage Hauling Businesses-County Dane, WI Department of Natural Resources
- Septic Smart: Learn the Ins and Outs of Your Septic System, US Environmental Protection Agency
