Forest County, WI: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

Forest County, WI's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 96.1% of the county. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 96.1% of the county. The county spans 1,014.265 square miles, home to 9,506 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Forest County, WI - never a reading for one specific parcel. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Forest County: conventional vs. engineered cost

96.1% of Forest County carrying a "Very limited" reading changes the realistic budget here. Conventional systems run $3,000-$8,000 where they pass; where they don't, engineered alternatives (mound or aerobic treatment, whichever the health department requires) run $10,000-$40,000 - budget toward the higher figure until a perc test says otherwise.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Forest County, WI ranks 520 most-constrained nationally, and 10 of 72 within Wisconsin.

Further reading

How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems