Can anybody install a Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS)?
A POWTS can be installed by those individuals who have obtained the license classifications of Journeyman (JP or JPRS) and Master Plumber (MP or MPRS) designations awarded by the State of Wisconsin Department of Commerce. Only those who have obtained the classification of Master Plumber (MP or MPRS) can obtain a State sanitary permit. All Wisconsin licensed plumbers have certification cards that list their credential number. You can enter this credential number on the State of Wisconsin Department of Commerce licensing bureau website to find out whether the plumber is still in good standing.


If they do not have these credentials then they will not legally be able to install a POWTS in the State of Wisconsin. You can check the yellow pages for POWTS installers or contact Kenosha County Department of Planning and Development for a list of POWTS installers.

Go to “Contacts” page of this website for licensing web link.

Show All Answers

1. When do I need a sanitary permit for a POWTS?
2. How do I get a sanitary permit?
3. My septic system is not working anymore. How do I get it replaced with another septic system that works?
4. Does it matter if I do all my laundry in one day?
5. How long are soil tests (perk tests) for Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) good for?
6. Why do I need a sanitary permit?
7. How long is a sanitary permit good for?
8. I have heard of County sanitary permits – When are these issued?
9. Do mound systems really work?
10. Can anybody install a Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS)?
11. Can I have a food waste grinder installed in my home even though I have a POWTS?
12. How often should I pump my treatment tank(s)?
13. Are two-chamber or multi-chamber septic tanks better for your POWTS than single chamber tanks?
14. Does having a two-chamber septic tank help to reduce the maintenance frequency of my effluent filter?
15. How often do I have to service the effluent filter in my septic tank?
16. Is there financial assistance available for property owners whose POWTS has failed and needs to be replaced?
17. I see advertisements that say “if I buy this product I can reduce the pumping cost for my septic tank.” Does this really help?
18. How are Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) sized?
19. I want to get a zoning permit for my building addition, so why can’t I use the private onsite wastewater treatment system evaluation that was done when I purchased the home?
20. I have a mound POWTS and I want to landscape it. Can I plant trees and shrubs on or around it?