Septic permits & records
Clarke County Environmental Health (Northeast Health District)
- Address
- 183 Paradise Blvd, Suite 104, Athens, GA 30607
- Phone
- 706-583-2658
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 8:30 am–5:00 pm, closed noon–1:00 pm
Athens, GA · Clarke County
Sewer and septic service in Athens, Georgia, where property owners maintain the sewer service line all the way to the public main and a quarter of households use septic.
Athens, Clarke County · about 58 min / 38.6 mi by road from our Oxford shop. ZIP codes 30601, 30602, 30603, 30604, 30605, 30606, 30607, 30608, 30609, 30610, 30612, 30613.
- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Local shop in Oxford, GA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Who is responsible for a sewer line in Athens, GA?
In Athens-Clarke, the owner maintains the whole private sewer service line, from where it joins the public main to the building, stubout and connection included. ACC Public Utilities owns the mains between manholes. About a quarter of households are on septic instead, permitted by Clarke County Environmental Health.↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
At a glance
- County
- Clarke County
Who owns what
No cleanout handoff in Athens
Many utilities stop at a cleanout near the street. ACC's line sits farther out, at the main itself.
ACC Public Utilitiesmain
ACC: the public sewers, meaning the pipes between manholes↗
ACC Public Utilitiessewer lateral
Owner: the service line from its connection at the main to the building, including the stubout and the tie-in↗
Where the line sits: the connection at the public main
ACC Public Utilitieswater service line
Owner from the meter to the building; ACC owns the meter and the street side↗
Where the line sits: the meter
Not sure which side a backup is on? ACC's Water & Sewer Division takes those calls at 706-613-3495 on weekdays.↗
The Athens story
Old stubs under old trees
Athens has run a public sewer for a long time. ACC built its first treatment plant on the North Oconee River in 1962, and the lines feeding the system are older still. A 2016 report from UGA's Grady Newsource said some pipes were up to 100 years old.↗↗
That report also named a weak point common to older towns: the household stub, often terracotta clay, which tree roots crack. In Athens that stub is the owner's, even where it meets the main.↗↗
The housing count backs it up. Athens-Clarke has more than 3,000 homes built before 1940 and about 3,400 from the 1950s, and on lots that old, roots have had decades to find the joints.↗
On the record
- Household sewer stubs in Athens are often old terracotta pipe that tree roots can crack, a 2016 Grady Newsource report found.↗
- Athens-Clarke counts 3,017 homes built in 1939 or earlier and 3,405 from the 1950s.↗
- ACC's first wastewater plant opened on the North Oconee River in 1962, followed by Middle Oconee in 1964 and Cedar Creek in 1980.↗
More about Athens
What the ACC code asks of owners
Athens-Clarke writes its expectations into the sewer-use chapter. Everyone on the system, homeowners included, must keep building sewers and private laterals in good repair so they don't let groundwater in or sewage out.↗
The same chapter handles septic homes near a main. If a public sewer sits within 200 feet of the property line and ACC sends official notice, the owner has 30 days to connect.↗
Athens-Clarke writes its expectations into the sewer-use chapter.
Sewer or septic?
The quarter of Athens on septic
ACC says roughly one household in four uses a septic system. In 2016, local officials proposed optional sewer connections in the Sandy Creek and Shoal Creek basins, which held more than 2,300 tanks averaging 23.5 years of age.↗↗
How to tell which one you have
- Look for a sewer charge on your ACC utility bill
- Check for tank lids or a mound in the yard
- Ask Clarke Environmental Health for a permit on file
What it costs
ACC's own numbers, July 2026
Public fees from Athens-Clarke's current schedule. Construction is priced after we see the line.
Sewer connection, 3/4-inch meter
$4,233
Typical market range — Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026), 2026
Sewer system evaluation
$150 per connection
Typical market range — Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026), 2026
Water connection, 3/4-inch meter
$2,729.50
Typical market range — Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026), 2026
Residential sewer rate
$8.63 per 1,000 gallons
Typical market range — Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026), 2026
What moves the price
These are third-party typical market ranges, not our prices. Every job is quoted after we see it — estimates are free.
Free estimate: (678) 863-5620- 01Depth and location of the tie-in at the main
- 02Street or sidewalk cuts between the yard and the main
- 03Root-damaged clay stubs versus a single broken joint
- 04Big trees and steep front yards on in-town lots
Local facts
Athens reference points
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the stub | The owner, from the connection at the main to the building | Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility) |
| Who owns the mains | ACC Public Utilities, the pipes between manholes | Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility) |
| Sewer hookup fees | $4,233 connection (3/4-inch) plus a $150 evaluation | Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026) |
| Septic basins, 2016 | Sandy Creek and Shoal Creek: 2,300+ tanks averaging 23.5 years old | Grady Newsource (UGA) — Athens' outdated sewage infrastructure may endanger local waterways (May 10, 2016) |
| Median year built | 1987, across 57,090 homes | Census Reporter — Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year) |
| Land area | About 118 square miles; the city sits on a series of Piedmont hills | Wikipedia — Athens, Georgia |
Services here
What we do in Athens
- 01Sewer Line RepairThe owner's line, main to house, including the tie-in.Sewer Line Repair details
- 02Septic RepairThe quarter of homes still on tanks, permitted on Paradise Boulevard.Septic Repair details
Also available:Sewer Camera InspectionWater Line Repair & InstallationSeptic Pumping
Who to call at the county
Athens contacts
- ACC Public Utilities — Water & Sewer Division Water and sewer706-613-3495, weekdays 8 to 5.↗
On the map
Athens from our shop
FAQ
Athens sewer and septic questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Does Athens-Clarke fix the sewer pipe in my yard?
No. ACC maintains the public mains between manholes; the owner maintains the service line from the main to the building, including the stubout and connection.
Source: Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility)
Who do I call if I can't tell whose side a backup is on?
ACC Public Utilities' Water & Sewer Division, 706-613-3495, weekdays 8:00 to 5:00.
Source: Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility)
Who fixes a water leak between the meter and my house in Athens?
You do. ACC owns the meter and the pipe on the street side; the line from the meter to the building is the owner's.
Source: Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility)
How much does it cost to connect to ACC sewer?
The July 2026 schedule lists a $4,233 sewer connection fee for a 3/4-inch meter and a $150 sewer system evaluation, before construction.
Source: Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026)
I'm on septic. Will Athens-Clarke make me connect?
If public sewer is within 200 feet of your property line, ACC can give official notice, and you would have 30 days to connect.
Source: Athens-Clarke County Code § 5-1-2 — General sewer use requirements
How many Athens homes use septic?
About 25% of Athens-Clarke households, according to the unified government.
Why do old Athens sewer lines fail?
Age and roots. A 2016 Grady Newsource report described pipes up to 100 years old and terracotta stubs that tree roots crack.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Rules, costs and local facts on this page link to the agency, code or publisher that states them. Cost figures are third-party market ranges, not our prices — estimates are free.
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
- 1Athens-Clarke County — Report a Problem (water and sewer responsibility)
- 2Athens-Clarke County — Septic System Facts
- 3Athens-Clarke County — ACC Water Reclamation Facilities
- 4Grady Newsource (UGA) — Athens' outdated sewage infrastructure may endanger local waterways (May 10, 2016)
- 5Census Reporter — Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year)
- 6Athens-Clarke County Code § 5-1-2 — General sewer use requirements
- 7Athens-Clarke County — Rates & Connection Fees (effective July 1, 2026)
- 8Wikipedia — Athens, Georgia
- 9Northeast Health District — Clarke County locations (Environmental Health)
Ready when you are
Backup on an Athens street? The pipe to the main is yours. We'll fix it.
Call with the address. We camera the line, find the break and repair it, up to the tie-in if that's where it failed.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
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Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620