Septic permits & records
Butts County Environmental Health (District 4 Public Health)
- Address
- 463 Ernest Biles Drive, Suite A, Jackson, GA 30233
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed for lunch 12-1 p.m.
Butts County · Septic & sewer rules
Butts County septic and sewer service, where public water reaches almost every home but public sewer covers only Jackson and the I-75 corridor.
Jackson is the county seat. Septic permits and records: Butts County Environmental Health (District 4 Public Health), part of District 4 Public Health - Environmental Health.
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Is Butts County, GA on sewer or septic, and who permits septic?
Mostly septic. Public water reaches over 95% of Butts County residents, but sewer is limited to the City of Jackson's own system and the county authority's I-75 corridor lines. Butts County Environmental Health, part of District 4 Public Health in Jackson, permits septic installs and repairs. We install, repair, pump and inspect systems countywide.↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
Sewer or septic?
A water bill in Butts does not mean you have sewer
The water side of Butts is close to finished. The county authority, working with Jackson and Jenkinsburg, pipes treated water to almost everyone. The sewer side never caught up. The authority built its treatment around the interstate, where industry locates, and the county seat runs a separate network of its own.↗
The county's own plan admits the gap. It says the lack of residential sewer outside the cities may hold back the housing Butts wants, and it lists sewer capacity as a need. Flovilla and Jenkinsburg sell water but hold no wastewater permits in federal records, so their homes drain to tanks.↗↗
How to tell which one you have
- Look for a sewer line item on your bill; the authority bills sewer as a separate base charge plus usage.
- A Flovilla or Jenkinsburg water bill is water only.
- Ask Butts County Environmental Health whether a septic permit is on file for your parcel.
Who to call at the county
Who you call in Butts County
- Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority Water countywide; sewer focused on the I-75 corridorFormed 1986; over 250 miles of water line.↗
- City of Jackson Water & Sewer Water and sewer for 2,175 customersRuns its own wastewater plants.↗
- City of Flovilla Well water only; five wells↗
- City of Jenkinsburg Water only; its plan cites a lack of sewer↗
Local facts
Butts County numbers behind every septic decision
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Septic permits | 463 Ernest Biles Drive, Suite A, Jackson; (770) 504-2230 ext. 3; weekdays 8-5, closed noon to 1 | District 4 Public Health: Butts County (Health Department and Environmental Health) |
| Public water reach | Over 95% of residents; 250+ miles of authority line laid since 1986 | Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority: About Our System |
| Combined water system (EPA) | Butts County/Jackson/Jenkinsburg, GA0350051: about 31,171 people, 8,509 connections, surface water | EPA Envirofacts SDWIS: public water systems in Butts County (PWSID GA035xxxx) |
| Water sources | Burford plant on the Ocmulgee River (primary); Stewart plant on the Towaliga River | Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority: About Our System |
| NRCS septic field rating | About 83,160 acres somewhat limited, 24,940 very limited, 57 not limited | USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), survey area GA035 Butts County |
| Median year built / mobile homes | 1994 / 691 of 9,723 housing units | Census Reporter: Butts County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| River basin | The whole county drains to the Upper Ocmulgee | Wikipedia: Butts County, Georgia |
| County formed | December 24, 1825, from Henry and Monroe counties | New Georgia Encyclopedia: Butts County |
The Butts County story
Lake lots, springs and the policies written for them
Jackson Lake is the county's big water feature. Lloyd Shoals Dam has held it back since 1911, where three rivers from the Atlanta side meet, and most of the lake sits inside Butts. Cabins and year-round houses on its wooded slopes are septic properties unless a line has been extended to them.↗
The commissioners wrote septic into their long-range plan in plain terms. One policy asks for regular inspection and maintenance so failing tanks do not foul the streams. Another steers septic-served subdivisions away from the protected watersheds upstream of drinking-water intakes, a real concern in a county whose water comes from its own rivers.↗
South of the seat, the Flovilla side of the county wraps around one of Georgia's oldest parks, the 765-acre Indian Springs, and its older homes lean on aging tanks. To the northwest, Jenkinsburg's new houses go in with fresh systems on well-drained Cecil ground.↗
On the record
- Lloyd Shoals Dam, completed in 1911 and 100 feet tall, impounds Jackson Lake where the Yellow, Alcovy and South rivers meet.↗
- Plan Policy 9.4 calls for regular inspection and maintenance of septic systems so failing tanks do not pollute waterways.↗
- Policy 22.1 discourages septic-served development within 7 miles upstream of water intake points.↗
Permits · Butts County Environmental Health, District 4 Public Health
The District 4 septic permit, step by step
District 4 uses one set of forms across its twelve counties, and neither the new-system nor the repair application prints a fee, so call the Jackson office for the current amount. We can file as your agent.
- 01
Complete the new residential application with bedrooms, water source, foundation type and where the plumbing leaves the house.↗
- 02
Attach a sketch that shows the lot, the planned house, any wells on your land or next door, buried utilities, easements and the proposed field.↗
- 03
Build only after the permit issues; it lapses after 12 months.↗
- 04
Call the county for the final inspection before the system is covered.↗
Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(1)
“available within two hundred feet (200') of the property line”
Soil & terrain
Worn-down Cecil and Pacolet clay
Erosion shaped this county. The two most widespread soil units in Butts are both classed as severely eroded: Cecil sandy clay loam on 6 to 10 percent slopes and Pacolet sandy clay loam on steeper ground. With topsoil gone, a trench often starts in dense red subsoil.↗
NRCS puts roughly three of every four rated acres in the somewhat-limited class for absorption fields, mostly for slow water movement, and nearly a quarter in the very-limited class. Chewacla bottomland along the creeks floods often and is a poor place for a field.↗
Cecil sandy clay loam, 6-10% slopes, severely eroded↗
Largest map unit, 18,820 acres.
Pacolet sandy clay loam, 6-15% slopes, severely eroded↗
14,380 acres.
Madison sandy clay loam, 6-15% slopes, severely eroded↗
9,620 acres.
Chewacla loam, 0-2% slopes, frequently flooded↗
7,400 acres of creek bottoms.
- Soil series · USDA NRCS
More about Butts County
Where the pipes do exist
Authority sewer customers pay a base charge that matches the water base and $7.10 per thousand gallons beyond the first 2,000, which puts the typical residential sewer bill near $38. Jackson prices its own sewer separately.↗
A few communities treat their own wastewater. Federal records show one mobile home park west of Jackson operating a small permitted plant, which tells you how far the public network still has to reach.↗
Authority sewer customers pay a base charge that matches the water base and $7.10 per thousand gallons beyond the first 2,000, which puts the typical residential sewer bill near $38.
Towns we serve
Butts County towns we serve
Each town page covers its own water supplier, soil and permit path.
- JacksonJackson sewer & septic: the county seat's three-plant sewer system and the estate lots it does not reach.Jackson septic & sewer
- JenkinsburgJenkinsburg septic service: a US 23 railroad town with city water and no sewer.Jenkinsburg septic & sewer
- FlovillaFlovilla septic service: well-water town beside Indian Springs State Park.Flovilla septic & sewer
Also in the county
- Indian Springs · Historic resort area around the state park.
- Stark · Unincorporated community.
- Worthville · Unincorporated community.
- Jackson Lake shoreline · Lake lots on the Butts side.
Services here
What we handle across Butts County
- 01Septic InstallationNew homes outside Jackson's lines need a District 4 permit and a field sized for eroded clay.Septic Installation details
- 02Septic RepairTanks, baffles and lines on the county's older rural systems.Septic Repair details
- 03Drain Field Repair & ReplacementSlow-draining subsoil is the usual reason a Butts field gives out.Drain Field Repair & Replacement details
- 04Septic PumpingThe routine maintenance the county plan asks owners to keep up.Septic Pumping details
- 05Septic InspectionLake-lot and rural home sales.Septic Inspection details
- 06Sewer Line RepairPrivate laterals tied into the Jackson or authority systems.Sewer Line Repair details
- 07Water Line Repair & InstallationService lines from authority, city or well to the house.Water Line Repair & Installation details
- 08Emergency Septic & Sewer ServiceBackups and overflows anywhere in the county.Emergency Septic & Sewer Service details
Also available:Sewer Line Installation & ReplacementExcavation, Grading & Drainage
FAQ
Butts County septic and sewer FAQ
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Where do I get a septic permit in Butts County?
From Butts County Environmental Health, a District 4 Public Health office at 463 Ernest Biles Drive, Suite A, in Jackson. Call (770) 504-2230 and choose extension 3. The office is open weekdays from 8 to 5 but closes for lunch from noon to 1, so plan a visit around it.
Source: District 4 Public Health: Butts County (Health Department and Environmental Health)
Is the state's phone listing for Butts environmental health the same number?
Yes. Georgia DPH's county list gives (770) 504-2230 for Butts, the same main line District 4 publishes, and it shows the Ernest Biles Drive address. Use extension 3 to reach the environmental health staff directly.
Source: Georgia DPH: Environmental Health County Phone Numbers
Does the Butts County Water & Sewer Authority provide sewer to homes?
Only in limited areas. The authority says its wastewater system focuses on the I-75 corridor, and Jackson runs its own. The county plan notes a lack of residential sewer in unincorporated Butts, so most homes outside Jackson use septic.
Source: Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority: About Our System
Are Jackson Lake homes in Butts County on septic?
Generally yes, unless a public line has been extended to them. The lake lies mainly in Butts, and the authority's sewer is concentrated along I-75. Treat a Butts lake lot as a septic property until the utility tells you otherwise, and plan docks and additions around the field.
What does District 4 need to issue a new septic permit?
The application asks for bedrooms, whether you have a garbage disposal, the water source, foundation type and plumbing stub-out location. It also needs a sketch showing wells on your lot and neighboring lots, underground utilities, paved areas, easements and the planned drain field. Permits expire after 12 months.
Source: District 4 Public Health: New Residential Septic Permit Application (rev. 2024-08-12)
Why do drain fields struggle in Butts County soil?
The county's two largest soil units, Cecil and Pacolet sandy clay loams, are severely eroded, and NRCS rates most rated acreage somewhat limited for absorption fields because water moves slowly. Fields placed in thin, clayey spots or near creek bottoms saturate first.
Source: USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), survey area GA035 Butts County
Does Butts County require septic inspections?
No routine inspection mandate appears on District 4's pages, but the county's comprehensive plan sets a policy goal of regular septic inspection and maintenance to protect waterways. An inspection before a home sale or after a backup is still the smart move.
Where does Butts County's public water come from?
Mainly from the authority's Emerson L. Burford plant on the Ocmulgee River, with the Gerald L. Stewart plant on the Towaliga River as a second source. EPA lists the combined county, Jackson and Jenkinsburg system at about 8,500 connections. Flovilla runs its own wells.
Source: EPA Envirofacts SDWIS: public water systems in Butts County (PWSID GA035xxxx)
Guides
Guides for Butts County owners
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
- 1Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority: About Our System
- 2District 4 Public Health: Butts County (Health Department and Environmental Health)
- 3Butts County Comprehensive Plan 2022-2042 (GA DCA)
- 4EPA ECHO Clean Water Act facility search: Butts County, GA (active permits)
- 5Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1 (On-Site Sewage Management Systems)
- 6City of Jackson, GA: Water & Sewer
- 7City of Flovilla: Water System (Wayback capture 2025-02-12)
- 8City of Jenkinsburg Comprehensive Plan 2018-2038 (GA DCA)
- 9EPA Envirofacts SDWIS: public water systems in Butts County (PWSID GA035xxxx)
- 10USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), survey area GA035 Butts County
- 11Census Reporter: Butts County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 12Wikipedia: Butts County, Georgia
- 13New Georgia Encyclopedia: Butts County
- 14Wikipedia: Jackson Lake (Georgia)
- 15Georgia State Parks: Indian Springs State Park
- 16District 4 Public Health: New Residential Septic Permit Application (rev. 2024-08-12)
- 17Butts County, et al, Water & Sewer Authority: Usage Fees (effective January 1, 2025)
- 18EPA ECHO Detailed Facility Report: Forest Glen Estates MHP wastewater, NPDES GA0022284
- 19Georgia DPH: Environmental Health County Phone Numbers
Ready when you are
Lake lot, farm or in-town Jackson? We cover all of Butts.
Tell us where the property is and what you are seeing. We give free on-site estimates and handle the District 4 paperwork when the job needs a permit.
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