Wauwatosa, WI Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Wis. Admin. Code SPS 381-387 (Plumbing)
- Enforcing official
- Plumbing inspector, building & safety division
- License required
- Master plumber license (with owner exception)
- Underground inspection
- Before backfill placed
- Sump discharge piping
- 1 ft above grade, 3-5 ft from wall
Summary
Wauwatosa adopts the Wisconsin State Plumbing Code, SPS 381 through 387, by reference and requires a permit before plumbing work begins. Underground work must be inspected before backfilling, and it is unlawful to drain roof or storm water into the sanitary sewer.
Adopted by Reference. ... The Administrative Code of the State of Wisconsin, SPS 381 through 387, Plumbing, is adopted and all amendments thereto are adopted and incorporated by reference except as herein modified. ... Underground. Underground inspection shall be made after trenches or ditches are excavated and bedded, piping installed and before backfill is placed. ... It is unlawful to drain the rain water from the roof of any building in the city into the sanitary sewer system of the city, or to connect or maintain connection with the sanitary sewer system any storm water conductor or pipe designed or used to carry or drain off water.
Full Breakdown
060, Wisconsin State Plumbing Code, states: "Adopted by Reference. 120 requires a valid permit before anyone performs plumbing work in the city, with a state-issued license required to apply for or perform it, subject to an exception for an owner-occupant of a one- or two-family dwelling repairing or replacing appliances, pipes, valves, faucets, fixtures or a water heater, or installing a clearwater sump discharge pump. " The section also carries substantive local restrictions layered on top of the adopted state code: it is unlawful to drain roof rainwater into the sanitary sewer system, and it is unlawful to drain storm water, foundation drainwater, clearwater wastes or surface water from any property except through an underground conductor connected directly to the storm sewer, subject only to an approved stormwater management plan exception.
Sump pump discharge piping installed for stormwater, cistern overflow or foundation drain water must be installed one foot above finished exterior grade and must extend a minimum of three feet from the building exterior to a point of five feet maximum, with no threaded fitting on the end, so the discharge does not create a public nuisance on the right-of-way.
Violations & Fines
Failure or refusal to make necessary repairs after the plumbing inspector orders correction of an unsafe or unsanitary system subjects the responsible person to "the penal provisions as set forth under Section 1.12.010 of the Wauwatosa Municipal Code," the city's general penalty section, as stated in Section 15.04.060. Illegally connecting roof or storm drainage to the sanitary sewer is separately declared unlawful under the same section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wauwatosa write its own plumbing code?
Can a homeowner do their own plumbing repairs?
Can I connect my roof drain or sump pump to the sanitary sewer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wauwatosa
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Plumbing Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle plumbing permits.