Septic & Sewer Service in Atlanta, GA: Common QuestionsSeptic and sewer service in Atlanta — common questions

Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions Inc. is a Georgia corporation (since 2004) based at 5722 Old Highway 138 SW, Oxford, GA 30054, serving metro Atlanta. It is a Georgia DPH-certified septic installer and pumper. Call (678) 863-5620 for a free estimate. More: About us.

Sewer Line Repair, Septic Repair, Septic Installation, Sewer Line Installation & Replacement, Water Line Repair & Installation, Septic Pumping, Septic Inspection, Drain Field Repair & Replacement, Sewer Camera Inspection, Emergency Septic & Sewer Service (24/7), Excavation, Grading & Drainage. Work is for homes and businesses. More: All services.

Yes. Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions takes emergency calls 24/7 for sewer backups, septic overflows and broken lines at (678) 863-5620. More: Emergency septic & sewer service.

No. ATL311 defines the service lateral as the extension of the house building sewer that connects the structure to the city sewer, and says the property owner is responsible for maintaining and repairing all of it. DWM handles the public sewer itself. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: ATL311 — What is a Sewer Service Lateral?

It's split at the meter. DWM is responsible from the water main to the meter; the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home or building. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: Service Line Information | City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Two reasons stack up. About one Atlanta home in nine was built before 1940, and the city has the densest urban tree canopy of any major U.S. city. Old joints plus big roots is the usual combination we find on camera. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: Census Reporter API — ACS 2020-2024 table B25034 (year structure built), Atlanta city

A 1998 federal agreement, after regulators sued over overflows, that fined the city $2.5 million and required it to stop unpermitted combined-sewer discharges. A 2012 amendment extended construction deadlines to 2027. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: EPA OIG Report 18-P-0206 — Atlanta Is Largely in Compliance with Its Combined Sewer Overflow Consent Decree (May 30, 2018)

If sewage is coming from the public side, DWM's customer care center takes sewer calls 24/7 at 404-546-0311. If the backup is in your own lateral, it's a private repair — call us at (678) 863-5620. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: Report A Problem | City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Practically, almost never: Georgia's rule requires connection when sewer is within 200 feet, and city code bans private shared wastewater systems. Any on-site system in Fulton would be permitted by the county Board of Health. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1 On-Site Sewage Management Systems

Yes. About 90% of the city is in Fulton County and the rest in DeKalb. Inside the city limits, the city's Watershed Management runs water and sewer either way. More: Atlanta service page.

Source: Fulton County, Georgia - Wikipedia

Yes. Georgia DPH defines septage removal as the complete removal of the liquid, sludge and scum, and tanks must have access openings over each compartment for that reason. The first compartment holds at least two-thirds of the tank and most of the solids. Pumping only through an outlet-side riser leaves it behind. More: Septic Tank Pumping in Atlanta, GA.

Source: Georgia DPH Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (2026), incl. Section I Septage Removal and Disposal

No. Georgia DPH's additives advisory answers that question with "Positively not!" Biological additives can break solids into small particles that stay suspended and flow to the drain field, where they can cause clogging. DPH says additives never eliminate the need for regular inspection and pumping. More: Septic Tank Pumping in Atlanta, GA.

Source: Georgia DPH — Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: Additives and Your On-site Sewage Management System

Gwinnett DWR gives a 10 percent stormwater utility fee credit for five years when you pump your tank. Apply with the Stormwater Credits Application Form and a receipt from a licensed hauler, or call DWR at 678.376.7193. Total credits cap at 40 percent per property. If a city bills your stormwater fee instead of the county, ask the city. More: Septic Tank Pumping in Atlanta, GA.

Source: Gwinnett County DWR — Stormwater Utility Fee Credits

Yes. Rule 511-3-1-.03(2)(c) says repairs, replacements and additions to existing systems must be permitted and inspected. That covers baffles, pipes, D-boxes and pumps, not just field work. A routine pump-out alone doesn't need one, per DeKalb Public Health. We handle the permit and call for the inspection. More: Septic Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)

It can. The baffles and T-shaped outlet keep scum and sludge in the tank so they don't travel into the drain field (US EPA). Without an outlet baffle, solids flow into the trenches and help seal the soil. Replacing a baffle early is far cheaper than the field work that follows a missing one. More: Septic Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Source: US EPA — How Your Septic System Works

Not always. The alarm means high water in the pump tank. The cause can be a failed pump, a float stuck or tangled, a tripped breaker, or a clogged pump screen. Cut water use to the minimum and call. Don't open the pump tank yourself, and don't add chemicals. Our septic alarm guide covers the first steps. More: Septic Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Not by state rule. We found no point-of-sale requirement in Georgia's septic rules, Chapter 511-3-1; rule .17(4) only says how an evaluation must be done if one is conducted. In practice lenders, buyers and closing attorneys often ask for a county letter, a contractor inspection or both, so plan on one if the house is on septic. More: Septic Tank Inspection, Atlanta GA.

Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)

It's the county Environmental Health office's written result of an existing system evaluation. GNR's application lists loan closing for a sale or refinance as a reason to request one. Walton County won't issue a satisfactory letter without proof the tank was pumped within the last 5 years, so the pump-out usually comes first. More: Septic Tank Inspection, Atlanta GA.

Source: GNR Newton Environmental Health — Existing Septic System Evaluation Application (Rev. 9/9/2016)

A visual inspection checks the yard, the fixtures and any exposed lids without pumping. A full inspection pumps the tank so the walls, baffles and outlet can be seen, opens the distribution box and probes the drain field lines. For a purchase, the full inspection is the one that finds hidden damage before you own it. More: Septic Tank Inspection, Atlanta GA.

Source: HomeGuide — Septic Inspection Cost (Dec 7, 2023)

It depends on your utility. In Gwinnett the owner's lateral runs to the right-of-way; in DeKalb the split is private property vs. county right-of-way or easement; in unincorporated Newton County NCWSA made owners responsible through the tap at the main as of March 1, 2021. Check the table above before you pay anyone to dig. More: Sewer Line Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Source: NCWSA — Notice of Policy Change: Maintenance of Sewer Service Laterals (2021)

Sometimes. Clearing removes the roots but leaves the opening they came through, so they grow back. If the camera shows one or two bad joints in otherwise sound clay pipe, a spot repair at those joints can end the cycle. If roots are in most joints, replacing the run usually costs less over time than clearing it every year. More: Sewer Line Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Source: City of Santa Barbara — Sewer Lateral Defects Visual Glossary (rev. August 2019)

A camera usually shows it: a dark, fibrous wall that has gone oval or has blistered inside. One city building department puts its use at roughly the early 1950s to the early 1970s, but there's no reliable pattern by street. The only sure identification is seeing it on camera or digging to it. More: Sewer Line Repair in Metro Atlanta.

Source: City of Ann Arbor — Orangeburg Sewer Piping

When sewage is coming into the house, surfacing in the yard, or a pump alarm won't stop, yes. EPA advises avoiding contact with backed-up sewage because it may contain harmful pathogens. Stop using water, keep children and pets away, and call (678) 863-5620. We'll tell you how fast we can be there. More: Emergency Septic Service in Metro Atlanta.

Source: US EPA — Resolving Septic System Malfunctions

No. Georgia DPH's advisory says additives are not beneficial and can be detrimental, and chemical types can push suspended solids into the drain field. Georgia Rule 511-3-1-.17(3) bans strong bases, acids and organic solvents in septic systems. Leave the drains alone and call. More: Emergency Septic Service in Metro Atlanta.

Source: Georgia DPH — Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: Additives and Your On-site Sewage Management System