Off-grid site report

Washington County, KS

39.8180, -97.0506 · 1,335 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Washington County, KS, 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, KS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyI couldn't find an official Washington County, Kansas zoning or land-use ordinance for raw land. Kansas counties aren't required to adopt zoning, and whether Washington County has done so wasn't confirmed, so check with the county government directly. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance on tiny homes, manufactured homes, or RV living was found on the county's official site, so this falls back to Kansas's general lack of a statewide standard. Ask Washington County government whether any local rule applies to your situation.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyI found no published Washington County building permit process or adopted building code. Kansas has no mandatory statewide building code, so it's worth calling the county directly to see if anything is enforced locally. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedWashington County runs its own Sanitary Code through the County Sanitarian, and it requires inspection and approval of wastewater systems, including privies, before use, sitting on top of KDHE's state minimum standards. Older, pre-code systems get some exemption unless they become a health hazard. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedThere's no separate greywater ordinance, but the county's Sanitary Code wastewater language is broad enough to cover greywater disposal by soil absorption or similar methods, so I'd treat it as needing the same permit and inspection as any other wastewater system. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo county rule restricts rainwater collection, so this follows the Kansas state baseline where domestic-use water, including collected rainwater, is exempt from the state's water appropriation permitting under the Kansas Water Appropriation Act. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWashington County's Sanitary Code requires a local permit and prior plan approval from the County Sanitarian before you develop any domestic or nonpublic well, even though domestic use itself is exempt from the state's water appropriation permit system. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyI found no Washington County rule requiring hookup to electric, water, or sewer utilities to occupy a property, so this likely follows the Kansas state baseline of no mandatory connection. That said, your on-site septic and well systems still need county sanitary permits regardless of utility hookup status.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average
5.1 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
3.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
1,480 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
33 in/yr
Snowfall
17 in/yr
Heating degree days
5,623 (cold)
Frost-free season
Apr 24 to Oct 12

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Washington County Hospital
0.3 mi
Fire station
Washington Fire District 9
0.5 mi
Hardware store
Thompson Lumber
21.3 mi
Grocery
Crome's Market
21.2 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 66968).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

Share or save this report:New report

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 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.