Septic suitability in Lafayette County, WI

Very limited

Lafayette County, WI: USDA's soil survey calls 88.8% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. That reading means a conventional system is a poor bet here - 88.8% of Lafayette County lands in the strictest "very limited" bucket USDA uses. The county spans 633.588 square miles, home to 17,306 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Two lots a mile apart in Lafayette County can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide rating. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Lafayette County: conventional vs. engineered cost

88.8% of Lafayette 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.

How Lafayette County, WI compares

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Lafayette County, WI ranks 1,392 most-constrained nationally, and 45 of 72 within Wisconsin.

Further reading

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