Septic Installation · Auburn, GA
New septic system installation in Auburn, Georgia, under Barrow County's lot-size ordinance or GNR Public Health's Gwinnett requirements.
- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Local shop in Oxford, GA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
What's required to install a septic system in Auburn, GA?
On Auburn's Barrow side, a new system needs a Barrow Environmental Health permit and a lot with 25,500 square feet of usable soil on public water. On the Gwinnett side, GNR Public Health requires a Level 3 soil report first. Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions handles the soil work, permit and installation for either.↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
At a glance
- County
- Barrow County / Gwinnett County
The Auburn story
City water, county soil rules
Public Works says homes inside Auburn's limits are probably on city water, septic or not. Auburn's system is fed by Barrow's Bear Creek Reservoir and by Gwinnett County, and a new connection costs $5,250 per residence on the current rate sheet.↗↗
That city meter helps on the septic side. Barrow's ordinance allows a smaller lot and more daily flow per acre when a house is on public water: 1,200 gallons per acre a day instead of 600 on a well.↗
Developers feel the rules too. Auburn's 2026 final plat application requires Health Department certification before a septic subdivision's plat is approved.↗
On the record
- Auburn's final plat form requires Health Department certification and notes for any subdivision served by septic tanks.↗
Local facts
Barrow lot rules for a new Auburn system
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot, public water | 25,500 sq ft, all usable soil; at least 100 feet wide where the systems go | Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018) |
| Daily flow allowed | 1,200 gallons per acre with public water; 600 without | Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018) |
| Not counted as lot area | Road rights-of-way, slopes over 25%, water bodies, land within 50 feet of a stream, wetland or flood plain | Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018) |
| Reserve area | Unobstructed room for the primary system and an equal-size replacement | Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018) |
Permits · Barrow County Environmental Health (NEHD) or GNR Public Health, Gwinnett
Permit path by county
- 01
Barrow side: new systems are permitted and inspected by Barrow Environmental Health; call 770-307-3502 for current forms and fees while the district updates them.↗
- 02
Gwinnett side: order a Level 3 soil report, then apply to GNR for the site evaluation and permit.↗
- 03
Build inside the state permit's 12-month window.↗
- 04
After move-in, any addition or improvement to the home has to be cleared with Environmental Health so it does not harm the system.↗
Published fees
- GNR Gwinnett residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspectionEffective January 1, 2026$275↗
Soil & terrain
Auburn ground for a new field
Auburn's center maps as Appling sandy loam on 6 to 10 percent slopes, rated somewhat limited because water moves slowly. That is buildable with enough trench length. The steep, eroded Gwinnett clay loam southwest of town is rated very limited, and on slopes past 25 percent Barrow does not count the ground as lot area at all.↗↗
More about Auburn
Shops, duplexes and mobile home parks
Barrow's ordinance does not stop at single houses. Multi-family buildings, commercial sites and mobile homes in commercial parks are sized the same way, in multiples of the unit the lot rules assume. A duplex on the Barrow side of Auburn needs roughly twice the usable soil of one house, so check sewer availability before buying a small commercial lot.↗
What it costs
New septic system costs
Conventional gravity system, 3 bedrooms
$6,397–$7,600
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026), 2026
Chamber system
$7,000–$12,000
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026), 2026
Mound or aerobic unit
$10,000–$20,000
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026), 2026
Level III soil classification
$500–$1,500
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026), 2026
Drain field only, Atlanta area
$5,000–$12,000
Typical market range — Angi — Cost to Install a Septic System in Atlanta (2026 data), 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- 01Barrow or Gwinnett permit path
- 02Slope, and how much of the lot counts as usable soil
- 03Trees to clear for the field and reserve area
- 04System type the soil report allows
Certified installer
We are on Georgia DPH's certified septic installer list dated September 18, 2026, listed under Walton County.
FAQ
Auburn septic installation questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620How big does an Auburn lot need to be for septic?
On the Barrow side with city water, 25,500 square feet of usable soil and 100 feet of width where the systems sit. Lots on wells need 51,000 square feet.
Source: Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018)
Do I need a soil report for a new system in Auburn?
On the Gwinnett side, always: GNR requires a Level 3 soil report before any septic permit. On the Barrow side, ask the office what it needs for your lot.
Can a steep Auburn lot take a septic system?
Sometimes. Barrow excludes slopes over 25 percent from lot area and can require more land above 5 percent, and the steepest soil we sampled near Auburn is rated very limited.
Source: Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018)
What does a new septic system cost in Auburn?
Published 2026 Georgia ranges run $6,397 to $7,600 for a conventional three-bedroom system and up to $20,000 for mound or aerobic units.
Source: Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026)
Can I build septic if county sewer is nearby?
Usually not. Georgia's rule requires connection where public sewer is within 200 feet of the property.
Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.03
How often should a new Auburn system be pumped?
The city's septic guide recommended pumping and inspection by a licensed contractor every 3 to 5 years.
Source: City of Auburn — Homeowner's Septic System Guide and Maintenance Record File (archived copy)
Nearby areas
New septic systems near Auburn
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
- 1Barrow County Board of Health — Lot Size Ordinance (amended Aug 17, 2018)
- 2GNR Public Health — Septic Systems
- 3Public Works | City of Auburn, GA
- 4City of Auburn Utility Rates (water effective Oct. 1, 2025; sewer approved Sept. 25, 2025)
- 5City of Auburn Community Development — Final Plat Application (2026)
- 6Northeast Health District — Sewage/Septic Systems (Barrow fees/forms notice)
- 7Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.03
- 8City of Auburn — Homeowner's Septic System Guide and Maintenance Record File (archived copy)
- 9GNR Environmental Health Fee Schedule — Gwinnett County (effective Jan 1, 2026)
- 10USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — GA606 map units at Auburn sample points
- 11Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026)
- 12Angi — Cost to Install a Septic System in Atlanta (2026 data)
- 13Georgia DPH — Certified Septic Tank Installers list (9/18/2026)
Ready when you are
Building in Auburn? Start with the soil.
Send the parcel. We'll tell you which county's rules apply and what the lot can hold.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Oxford, GA
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620