Dane County Septic (POWTS) Rules and Fee
Routine Maintenance
This page covers regular POWTS pumping and upkeep, not a real estate transaction.
Dane County’s septic program is not run by a land use or planning office, it sits inside Public Health Madison and Dane County, the joint city-county health department. That is the department that sends your reminder notice and reviews the report your pumper files.
The maintenance cycle
State and county rules require inspection every 3 years for most systems. If the inspection finds combined sludge and scum at a third or more of tank volume, pumping is required at that visit, not deferred to the next cycle.
State and county law mandates inspections every three years for most systems. If an inspection finds tanks one third or more full with combined scum and sludge, pumping is also required at that visit.
Read the code at publichealthmdc.comThe annual fee
Dane County is unusual on this list because it bills the maintenance program fee directly on the property tax bill rather than charging per visit or per permit.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual maintenance program fee, per septic system | $12.00 per year, billed on the property tax bill |
Dane County charges a $12.00 per year annual maintenance fee per septic system, which appears on the property tax bill rather than as a separate invoice.
Read the code at publichealthmdc.comHow compliance is enforced
The department sends reminder notices, reviews the maintenance and pumping reports that come in, and follows up on problem reports. Continued non-compliance can escalate to orders, citations, or a referral, the same general pattern most Wisconsin counties use, though the exact escalation timeline is not published in plain language online. Ask the department directly if a notice mentions enforcement.
Department contact
Public Health Madison and Dane County, Private Wells and Septic
Phone: 608-242-6515
Email: privatewellseptic@publichealthmdc.com
Fax: 608-242-6435
Frequently asked questions
- Why is my septic fee on my property tax bill
- Dane County collects its $12 per year maintenance program fee that way instead of billing it separately.
- Who inspects my system
- Most septic pumpers can submit the inspection and pumping report online directly to the department. You arrange the visit, they handle the filing.
- Is this the same office that handles my well
- Yes. Dane County combines private well and septic system oversight in one program, Private Wells and Septic Systems, inside the joint health department.
For the state rule behind this, see Wisconsin septic maintenance rules. Nearby: Sauk County.