Off-grid site report

Washington County, WI

43.3202, -88.3866 · 968 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Washington County, WI, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.

The local rulesWashington County, WI

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Varies locallyWashington County only administers zoning directly within shoreland/wetland/floodplain overlay areas (near lakes, rivers, wetlands). Outside those areas, base zoning and raw-land use rules are set by the individual Town, not the County. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Washington County rule specifically addresses tiny homes or RVs as dwellings; this appears to be set town-by-town, inheriting the state UDC baseline otherwise. Confirm with your specific Town. source

Building permits & codes

Generally allowedBuilding permits are required for construction in shoreland/floodplain areas via the County Land Use Division, and standard construction elsewhere follows the state Uniform Dwelling Code administered by Wisconsin DSPS. The County warns owners are responsible if work proceeds without permits.

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedWashington County issues Sanitary Permits for septic/POWTS systems, requiring a Master Plumber and county inspection under the state POWTS code; composting toilets/privies fall under this same permitting framework per the county's fee schedule. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo separate Washington County greywater ordinance was found; greywater appears to fall under the general state DSPS plumbing code framework via county POWTS permitting.

Rainwater harvesting

Unclear - verifyNo Washington County ordinance addressing outdoor rainwater harvesting was found; this appears to inherit the state baseline unchanged, meaning not confirmed either way.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells must conform to the Wisconsin Administrative Code (state well standards), which the County's Shoreland Zoning ordinance directly cross-references. No additional county-specific well rule was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Washington County or state rule was found that directly permits or restricts living fully disconnected from electric/gas utilities; this is simply unaddressed in the sources reviewed.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 4.6 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 2.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,333 kWh

JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 33 in/yr
Snowfall: 36 in/yr
Heating degree days: 7,655 (severe)
Frost-free season: May 5 to Oct 1

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital: 16.6 mi
Fire station Hartford Fire Department: 0.3 mi
Hardware store Ace Hardware: 5.5 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.8 mi

From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.

Plan this spot

These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 53027).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.