Billingsley Engineering LLC - Holding Tank System

The function of a holding tank is to serve as a temporary reservoir for effluent to a waste water treatment plant. Unlike other types of systems, an absorption field is not utilized. Collected effluent is pumped from the tank by a Licensed Waste Hauler into their truck and hauled off. A three-bedroom home, usually requires a tank five feet in diameter by eighteen feet long. This tank has a volume of 3000 gallons and is constructed of carbon steel. The size and volume of the tank depends on the number of bedrooms in the house. An alarm float is installed in the tank and is connected to a visual and audible alarm inside the house. The alarm is to let the homeowner know that the tank

needs to be pumped as soon as possible.

In July of 2000, the Wisconsin Department of Commerce issued a Code requiring that if a holding tank is installed a water meter must be installed, inside the house, on the incoming water line along with an outside reader. This meter must be installed by a contractor with a Master Plumber License, such as Billingsley Engineering.

A holding tank is one of the most restricted types of systems that can be installed in Wisconsin. The following criteria must be met:

The soil and site cannot be suitable for any other Wisconsin Department of Commerce approved Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS). (ie. A mound or similar system must be ruled unsuitable)
The property must have holding tank "rights". This can be checked by contacting your local County Planning and Development Department.
A holding tank pumping agreement form needs to be signed indicating that as the homeowner, responsibility will be taken to have the tank pumped as required (generally every three to four weeks).

Holding tanks are generally installed in sites that are too small for a different type of system, or the water table in the area is too high to allow for proper treatment of the effluent (wastewater). Due to the high level of maintenance and frequency of pumping for a holding tank system, this type of system, in the long run is more work and costs the homeowner more money then standard POWTS systems..