Wastewater Plan Submittal Requirements by Project Type

A complete plan submittal varies with the type of project.

• Click the Project Type title below to view the submittal requirements for a particular project type.
• If you are looking for a specific plan review submittal form, see the Plan Review Submittal Forms table at the bottom of the page.

Send completed plan submittal package for review to:

Jason Knutson, Wastewater Section Chief
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Bureau of Water Quality, WY/3

• For US Postal Service delivery use:
  P.O. Box 7921
  Madison, WI 53707-7921
• For UPS or hand delivery use:
  101 S Webster Street
  Madison, WI 53703

Project Types

Note: Please submit all documentation electronically on a USB flash drive or CD unless otherwise specifically noted below, due to the difficulty of matching emailed submittals with corresponding paper plans.

Municipal Sewage Collection System Projects (i.e. lift stations, gravity sanitary sewer, force main, siphons and pressure sewers)

Submittal requirements

Submit both electronic and 1 paper copy of

• Set of plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed by P.E.
• Engineering Design Report: required if financed by Clean Water Fund. Interceptor sewers require a facility plan report (see Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems)

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Sanitary Sewer or Lift Station Project Approval Request Form 3400-160
• Sewer Specification Checklist Form 3400-095
• Sanitary Sewer Submittal Form 3400-059 (only required for projects with sewer)
• Lift Station Design Checklist Form 3400-168 (only required for lift station projects)
• Design calculations
• Project specifications, signed and sealed by P.E. (unless using Standard Specifications for Sewer and Water Construction in Wisconsin or a previously approved municipal standard specifications)
• Areawide Water Quality Management/Sewer Service Area Plan Conformance Letter (if applicable)
• Sewerage System Owner Approval Letter (if applicable)
• Wastewater Treatment System Approval Letter (if applicable)

For more information on sewer service area planning and authorized agencies, please see Sewer Service Area Planning.

Municipal Standard Specifications for Sanitary Sewer Projects (4-year Approvals)

Submittal requirements

Submit only electronic copies to DNRHoldingTankReview@Wisconsin.gov of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Sewer Specification Checklist Form 3400-095
• Specifications signed and sealed by P.E.

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems

Submittal requirements

A.     Municipal Wastewater Facility Plan Report

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Facilities Plan Report

B.     Municipal Wastewater Construction Final Plans & Specifications

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Specifications signed and sealed by P.E.

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Design Report, including design calculations
• Paper plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed by P.E.

C.     Effluent Limits Request (for Facility Planning Purposes)

Submit only electronic copies to Jason.Knutson@Wisconsin.gov of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Report addressing derivation of design flows and identifying proposed discharge location(s)

D.     Treatment System Re-rating Request

Submit only electronic copies to Jason.Knutson@Wisconsin.gov of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Plant evaluation report and design calculations, signed and sealed by P.E.

Clean Water Fund Project Submittals

More Information regarding submittals for Clean Water Fund projects is available from Community Financial Assistance.

Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Systems

Submittal requirements

Submit both electronic and 1 paper copy of

• Set of plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed by P.E.
• Engineering Design Report

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Project specifications, signed and sealed by P.E.

Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems

Submittal requirements

A.     Industrial Wastewater Preliminary Design Plans (Optional)

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Conceptual/Preliminary Design Report

B.     Industrial Wastewater Construction Final Plans & Specifications

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Specifications signed and sealed by P.E.

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Design Report, including design calculations
• Paper plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed

For more information on plan submittal requirements for industrial wastewater systems, please see Plan Review of Municipal, Industrial, and Pretreatment Wastewater Systems.

Holding Tanks

Submittal requirements

Submit only electronic copies to DNRHoldingTankReview@Wisconsin.gov

A.     Domestic Wastewater Holding Tank

• i.          Generates less than 3,000 gallons per day
  • DSPS (or applicable designated agent) Plan Approval (No DNR involvement)
• ii.          Generates 3,000 gallons per day or more
  • DSPS (or applicable designated agent) Plan Approval
  • DSPS must obtain verification from DNR that there is an agreement of commitment that tank contents will be disposed of at a publicly owned wastewater treatment plant.

B.     Non-Domestic Wastewater or mixture of Domestic and Non-Domestic Wastewater

• Non-Domestic Wastewater Holding Tank Plan Approval Application Form 3400-185
  Note: Form 3400-185 only applies to precast tanks with product approval by DSPS. Other tanks/structures that will store industrial wastewater or a mixture of industrial and domestic wastewater should follow the requirements under “Industrial Storage Structure Projects.”

Industrial Storage Structure Projects

Submittal requirements

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Industrial Storage Structure Plan Approval Request Form 3400-225
• Specifications signed and sealed by P.E.

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Design Report, including design calculations
• Paper plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed

Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS)

Submittal requirements

A.     Receives domestic wastewater only

• i.          Small POWTS (typically DSPS design flow less than or equal to 12,000 gpd)
  • DSPS (or applicable designated agent) Plan Approval (no DNR involvement) except in instances of municipal ownership that involve a Clean Water Fund Program loan.
• ii.          Large POWTS (typically DSPS design flow greater than 12,000 gpd)
  • Follow submittal requirements for Municipal Wastewater Construction Final Plans & Specifications. Note that a facilities plan will be applicable in most instances of municipal ownership.

B.     Receives non-domestic or a mixture of domestic and non-domestic wastewater (any size)

• Follow submittal requirements for Municipal Wastewater Construction Final Plans & Specifications. Note that a facilities plan will be applicable in some instances of municipal ownership.

For additional information including the differentiation of small versus large POWTS, please see the pages on Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems and Large Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems.

Large Septage Storage Facilities

Submittal requirements

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Specifications signed and sealed by P.E.

Submit both electronic and 2 paper copies of

• Design Report, including design calculations
• Paper plans in half-size format (11” x 17”), signed and sealed
• Letter of tank conformance to NR 110 and condition inspection signed and sealed by P.E.

Groundwater Monitoring Well Installation/Abandonment

Submittal requirements

A.     Pre-construction or pre-abandonment

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205
• Groundwater Monitoring Well Information Form 4400-089
• Specifications

Submit both electronic and 1 paper copy of

• Groundwater contour map showing the location of monitoring wells
• Plans
• Well installation/abandonment procedure report

B.     Post-construction

Submit only electronic copies of

• Monitoring Well Construction Form 4400-113A
• Monitoring Well Development Form 4400-113B
• Soil Boring Log Information Form 4400-122
• Record drawing site map (with directional arrow, scale bar & key) showing well locations, structure and property boundaries, etc.
• Sieve Analysis (if required by NR 141.09 and NR 141.11)

C.     Post-abandonment

Submit only electronic copies of

• Well/Drillhole/Borehole Filling & Sealing Report Form 3300-005

Industrial Lagoon, Storage Structure, or Treatment Structure Abandonment

Submittal requirements

Submit only electronic copies of

• Cover/Transmittal Letter
• Wastewater System Approval Request Form 3400-205

Submit both electronic and 1 paper copy of

• Abandonment procedure plan

Plan Review Submittal Forms