Septic permits & records
Barrow County Environmental Health (Northeast Health District)
- Address
- 63 Lee St, Winder, GA 30680
- Phone
- 770-307-3502
Auburn, GA · Barrow County
Sewer, septic and water line service in Auburn, Georgia, a city on the Barrow–Gwinnett line whose sewer belongs to Barrow County.
Auburn, Barrow County · about 49 min / 29.2 mi by road from our Oxford shop. ZIP codes 30011, 30203.
- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Local shop in Oxford, GA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Who handles sewer, septic and water in Auburn, GA?
Auburn has no sewer department. The city sells water, while Barrow County Wastewater owns the sewer and its charges ride on the Auburn bill. The lateral from the county main to the house is the owner's. Septic tanks fall under Barrow Environmental Health, or GNR Public Health on the Gwinnett side of town.↗↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
At a glance
- County
- Barrow County / Gwinnett County
Local facts
Auburn by the numbers
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| City services | Water, garbage and roads — no sewer department | Utilities | City of Auburn, GA |
| Sewer on the Auburn bill | $17.00 base, $6.15 per 1,000 gal, $5.00 maintenance, plus a 7% Barrow County admin fee | City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025) |
| Where the water comes from | 98% Barrow County Water and Sewer Authority, 2% Gwinnett (2022) | City of Auburn 2022 Water Quality Report |
| Residents by county | 6,678 in Barrow, 209 in Gwinnett (2022) | Auburn, Georgia - Wikipedia |
| Housing | Median year built 1994; 2,530 single-family detached and 241 mobile homes of 3,233 units | Census Reporter: Auburn, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| Founded | Incorporated 1892, soon after the railroad arrived | Auburn, Georgia - Wikipedia |
The Auburn story
A water town that borrows its sewer
Auburn grew up around the railroad, and the tracks still cut through town where SR 324 comes in from Buford. City Hall runs the water system and the streets, but not a sewer system.↗↗
Barrow County does that job. Its wastewater division names the City of Auburn in its service area, and the joint county–city line that carries flow toward Winder's Cedar Creek plant was literally called the Auburn Sewer Line Project when it was upsized from 12 inches to 24.↗↗
Not every Auburn house got a sewer tap. The city once handed owners a septic maintenance folder, and its 2026 plat form still has a line for subdivisions served by septic tanks.↗↗
On the record
- Auburn's 2026 final plat application still calls for Health Department certification on subdivisions served by septic tanks.↗
Sewer or septic?
Tap or tank on your Auburn lot?
The quickest check is the city bill. If it lists the sewer base and the BC Sewer Admin Fee, the house drains to a Barrow County main. If the bill shows only water and trash, look for tank lids.↗
Auburn's old septic folder is blunt about the rest: the owner maintains, repairs or replaces every part of the system, and changes need a health department permit.↗
How to tell which one you have
- Find the sewer lines on your Auburn utility bill.
- Look for a cleanout at the right-of-way line.
- Check closing papers for a septic permit number.
Permits · Barrow County Environmental Health (NEHD) or GNR Public Health, Gwinnett
Two health districts for one small city
Which office permits your septic repair depends on which county the lot sits in.
- 01
Barrow side: call Barrow Environmental Health at 63 Lee Street in Winder. Its fee schedule and forms are being updated, so current amounts come by phone.↗
- 02
Gwinnett side: GNR's Gwinnett office at 455 Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville takes the application.↗
- 03
GNR has required a Level 3 soil report for any new, repair or modifying permit since February 7, 2022.↗
- 04
Either office inspects the finished work before it is covered.↗
Published fees
- Gwinnett residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspectionEffective January 1, 2026$275↗
Who owns what
Who owns which pipe in Auburn
Barrow County Wastewatermain
Barrow County↗
Barrow County Wastewatersewer lateral
Owner maintains the single-customer lateral↗
Where the line sits: cleanout at the right-of-way line
City of Auburn waterwater service line
City bills the customer for meter damage; ownership line past the meter is not published↗
Where the line sits: the meter box
Auburn water problems after hours go to the city's emergency line, (470) 606-3047.↗
What it costs
Auburn's own fees
From the city's current rate sheet. Construction is quoted separately after we see the site.
New water service connection, per residence
$5,250
Typical market range — City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025), 2025
Relocate a water meter box
$4,000
Typical market range — City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025), 2025
Damage to meter or components
$400
Typical market range — City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025), 2025
Water shutoff and turn-on for inspections
$25
Typical market range — City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025), 2025
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- 01Barrow or Gwinnett side of the line
- 02Distance and depth from the county main
- 03Steep Gwinnett clay loam versus gentler Appling ground
- 04Driveways, walks and trees over the run
Services here
Auburn work we take on
- 01Sewer Line RepairLaterals off Barrow County mains are the owner's to fix.Sewer Line Repair details
- 02Sewer Line Installation & ReplacementTank-to-tap conversions and new laterals to county spec.Sewer Line Installation & Replacement details
- 03Septic RepairLots the county mains never reached, on either side of the line.Septic Repair details
- 04Septic InstallationNew systems under Barrow's lot rules or GNR's soil report rule.Septic Installation details
- 05Water Line Repair & InstallationService lines on Auburn city water.Water Line Repair & Installation details
Also available:Septic PumpingSeptic Inspection
Who to call at the county
Who answers the phone for Auburn
- City of Auburn Water, garbage, roadsCity Hall, One Auburn Way; 770-963-4002.↗
- Barrow County Wastewater SewerServes the City of Auburn.↗
- GNR Public Health, Gwinnett Environmental Health Septic permits, Gwinnett side455 Grayson Hwy, Suite 600, Lawrenceville.↗
On the map
Auburn from Oxford
Nearby areas
Around Auburn
- Dacula septic & sewerDacula septic and sewer, across the Gwinnett line
- Winder septic & sewerWinder sewer and septic, down SR 8
- Lawrenceville septic & sewerLawrenceville sewer and septic, west on SR 8
- Bethlehem septic & sewerBethlehem septic service east of Winder
- Statham septic & sewerStatham septic service in east Barrow
- Grayson septic & sewerGrayson septic and sewer in Gwinnett
- Loganville septic & sewerLoganville sewer and septic
FAQ
Auburn sewer, septic and water questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Who provides sewer service in Auburn, GA?
Barrow County Wastewater. The City of Auburn runs water, garbage and roads but no sewer, so the sewer charges on your Auburn bill are county charges passed through the city.
Source: Utilities | City of Auburn, GA
What is the BC Sewer Admin Fee on my Auburn bill?
A 7% Barrow County sewer admin fee. It sits beside a $17.00 minimum sewer base, $6.15 per 1,000 gallons and a $5.00 maintenance fee on the current Auburn rate sheet.
Source: City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025)
Who fixes a broken sewer line under my Auburn yard?
You do. Barrow County's standards treat a lateral serving one customer as the customer's to maintain, and put the cleanout at the right-of-way line. We repair or replace that run.
Source: Barrow County — Water and Wastewater Standards and Specifications (Oct 2021)
Is my Auburn septic permit from Barrow or Gwinnett?
It follows the lot. Most of Auburn is in Barrow, where Barrow Environmental Health on Lee Street in Winder handles permits. The Gwinnett-side streets go to GNR's Lawrenceville office, which charges $275 for a residential permit and requires a Level 3 soil report.
Source: GNR Environmental Health Fee Schedule — Gwinnett County (effective Jan 1, 2026)
Are there still septic homes in Auburn?
Yes. The city distributed a homeowner septic guide telling owners to pump and inspect every 3 to 5 years, and its 2026 plat application still covers subdivisions served by septic tanks.
Source: City of Auburn — Homeowner's Septic System Guide and Maintenance Record File (archived copy)
What does a new water connection cost in Auburn?
The current rate sheet lists $5,250 per residence for a new water service connection. Moving an existing meter box costs $4,000.
Source: City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025)
Where does Auburn's water come from?
Mostly Barrow County. In 2022 the city bought 98% of its water from the Barrow County Water and Sewer Authority and the other 2% from Gwinnett County as needed, and it stores water in two tanks.
Guides
Guides for Auburn owners
Septic or Sewer? How to Tell in GeorgiaPairs with reading the Auburn bill.Read the guide 
How to Find Septic Tank Permit Records in GeorgiaBarrow or Gwinnett, the file is somewhere.Read the guide 
Signs of a Leaking Water Service Line (Meter to House)Before you call City Hall about a high bill.Read the guide
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
- 1Utilities | City of Auburn, GA
- 2Barrow County — Wastewater Division
- 3Barrow County — Water and Wastewater Standards and Specifications (Oct 2021)
- 4City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025)
- 5City of Auburn 2022 Water Quality Report
- 6Auburn, Georgia - Wikipedia
- 7Census Reporter: Auburn, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 8Georgia State Route 324 - Wikipedia
- 9Public Works | City of Auburn, GA
- 10Winder signs off on easements for sewer-line upgrades — Barrow News-Journal (Feb. 7, 2018)
- 11City of Auburn — Homeowner's Septic System Guide and Maintenance Record File (archived copy)
- 12City of Auburn Community Development — Final Plat Application (2026)
- 13Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.03
- 14Northeast Health District — Sewage/Septic Systems (Barrow fees/forms notice)
- 15GNR Public Health — Locations (Environmental Health Offices)
- 16GNR Public Health — Septic Systems
- 17GNR Environmental Health Fee Schedule — Gwinnett County (effective Jan 1, 2026)
- 18Northeast Health District — Barrow County locations (Environmental Health)
Ready when you are
County sewer, city water, a tank out back? Auburn, we handle all three.
Tell us the street and the symptom. We'll know which county and which office before we arrive.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Oxford, GA
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620