Septic Tank Service in Rural Marshall County, IA
Marshalltown Septic provides septic tank servicefor homes and businesses in Rural Marshall County and the surrounding area.
📞 Call (641) 354-5927Services Available in Rural Marshall County
Most incorporated towns in Marshall County run their own wastewater treatment. In the Iowa DNR’s list of active wastewater permits, Albion, Clemons, Gilman, Laurel, Le Grand, Liscomb, Melbourne, Rhodes, St. Anthony and State Center each hold a municipal permit, and Marshalltown has its own Water Pollution Control plant. Homes connected to those systems do not need septic pumping.
Septic systems are for the properties outside those systems: farmsteads, acreages, rural subdivisions and homes in unincorporated parts of the county, as the county’s own septic guidance notes. Haverhill and Ferguson do not appear in the DNR’s permit list, so if you live in or near either town, check with the city or the county whether your property is connected to a shared system.
Two rules matter most for rural owners. Before a property on a private septic system is sold or its deed transferred, Iowa law requires an inspection by a DNR-certified inspector. And the county recommends pumping every three to five years; on older systems, a tank installed before 1991 may have a single compartment and no effluent filter, which the inspection will look at.
Which Towns Have City Sewer, and Who Still Needs a Septic Tank
Marshall County Towns: City Sewer or Septic? (with sources)
| Albion | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6403001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
|---|---|
| Clemons | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6415001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Gilman | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6436001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Laurel | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6452001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Le Grand | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 8657001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Liscomb | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6462001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Melbourne | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6471001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Rhodes | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6480001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| St. Anthony | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6482001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| State Center | Municipal wastewater treatment (Iowa DNR permit 6484001). (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Haverhill | No municipal wastewater permit appears in the DNR’s active permit list. Check with the city or the county whether your property is connected to a shared system. (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| Ferguson | No municipal wastewater permit appears in the DNR’s active permit list. Check with the city or the county whether your property is connected to a shared system. (Source: Iowa DNR, Active NPDES and Operation Permits (June 2026)) |
| County septic office | Marshall County Environmental Health, Courthouse, 1 E. Main St., Suite 140, Marshalltown. 641-844-2707, Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (the county asks you to call ahead). (Source: Marshall County Environmental Health) |
| Recommended pumping interval | Every three to five years, per the county’s septic guidance. (Source: Marshall County Environmental Health) |
| Inspection when a property sells | Required before the sale or deed transfer of any property on a private septic system, by a DNR-certified inspector (Iowa Code 455B.172, 567 IAC Chapter 69). (Source: Iowa DNR, Time of Transfer) |
| Tank rules by age | Tanks installed since 1991 must have two compartments; since 2000 they must also have an effluent filter. (Source: Marshall County Environmental Health) |
ZIP codes covered: 50005, 50051, 50078, 50106, 50120, 50141, 50142, 50148, 50158, 50162, 50234, 50239, 50247
Nearby Areas We Serve
Septic Tank Service in Rural Marshall County: Questions
Do I need a septic permit in Marshall County, Iowa?
Septic permits are issued by Marshall County Environmental Health. The county provides a septic permit application for new systems and a separate repair and abandonment permit, under the state rules in 567 IAC Chapter 69. Call the office (641-844-2707) to confirm what your project needs before work starts.
Who is the Marshall County sanitarian, and where is the office?
The sanitarian works in Marshall County Environmental Health, in the courthouse at 1 E. Main St., Suite 140, Marshalltown. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and the county asks you to call ahead or email before visiting.
Do I need a septic inspection to sell a rural house in Marshall County?
Yes, if the property is on a private septic system. Iowa’s Time of Transfer law requires an inspection by a DNR-certified inspector before the sale or deed transfer. Some transfers are exempt; the county’s septic page links the exemption form and the binding agreement forms for weather delays, demolition or future installation.
Does my town in Marshall County have city sewer?
Albion, Clemons, Gilman, Laurel, Le Grand, Liscomb, Melbourne, Rhodes, St. Anthony, State Center and Marshalltown all hold municipal wastewater permits with the Iowa DNR. Haverhill and Ferguson do not appear in that list. Even in a sewered town, a property outside the service area can still be on septic, so check your utility bill or ask the city.