Septic Repair · Cumming, GA
Septic repair for Cumming homes that kept their tanks, permitted by Forsyth County Environmental Health within the city's 30-day correction window.
- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Local shop in Oxford, GA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
How is a septic system repaired in Cumming, GA?
Cumming lets older homes keep a septic tank only while it works. Once the city or the county health department flags a failure, the owner has 30 days to correct it, and Forsyth County Environmental Health must permit the repair. Its application asks for footage, field product and a site plan before any visit.↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
Sewer or septic?
Why tanks still exist inside a sewered city
Cumming's private-disposal section draws a line in time. Anything built after it took effect connects to sewer where the city calls it available. Anything already on a tank could stay on it.↗
That grandfathering ends when the tank causes a public health problem, as judged by the city or by Forsyth County's health department. From that point the clock is short.↗
How to tell which one you have
- No sewer charge on the Cumming Utilities bill.
- A permit drawing on file with Forsyth Environmental Health.
Local facts
The Cumming septic rules that shape a repair
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Grandfathered tanks | Existing septic may stay unless the city or county health department finds a public health problem | City of Cumming Code § 111-132 — Private wastewater disposal |
| Correction window | 30 days from written notice; if sewer is ordered, the tank is cleaned and filled at the owner's cost | City of Cumming Code § 111-132 — Private wastewater disposal |
| Repair permit fee | $150 residential, $350 commercial, $100 per reinspection (Forsyth EH, 2024 schedule) | Forsyth County Environmental Health — Fees (updated 2024) |
| Who regulates tanks | Forsyth County Environmental Health (770-781-6909); report illegal discharges to Cumming Utilities (770-781-2020) | Cumming Utilities — Septic |
Permits · Forsyth County Environmental Health, 2435 Freedom Pkwy, Ste 2400, Cumming
Forsyth's repair permit, step by step
- 01
State the linear footage of new line and the drain field product to be used, such as Infiltrator, ARC 36, EZ Flow, gravel or a gravel pit.↗
- 02
Show on a site plan how the new field ties in: through a bull run valve to a new field, or as an extension of the old one. Attach the recorded plat if there is one.↗
- 03
Send the packet to the office on Freedom Parkway; the old West Maple Street address printed on the form is closed.↗
- 04
The finished repair is inspected before any backfill, and the permit lapses after twelve months.↗
The Cumming story
Pumping first — and what the county warns about
Forsyth's health office is blunt about pumping companies. Its buyer-beware page lists the add-ons to question: extra hose charges, fees to dig up a tank whose drawing the county can supply, and additives nobody needs. It also reminds owners that a system fails in only two ways, backing into the house or surfacing in the yard.↗
Pumping alone doesn't cure a true failure. A new tank or repaired drain lines need a Health Department permit, which is why we look at the tank, the outlet and the field before quoting.↗
Where the waste goes matters too. Cumming's reclamation plant takes hauled septage only from inside the city's own service area, and only under a permit.↗
- Forsyth's buyer-beware guidance says tank replacement or drain line repair always requires a permit from the Health Department.↗
- Haulers pay $0.15 a gallon to unload at 4605 Bethelview Road, roughly $300 for a 2,000-gallon truck.↗
- The city accepts pumpage only from inside the Cumming Water and Sewer Service Area.↗
Forsyth's health office is blunt about pumping companies.
Warning signs
When a Cumming tank is heading toward a notice
Seeing two or more of these? Call before it gets worse.
- 1. Sewage surfacing over the field or at the bottom of the slope.
- 2. Drains slowing across the whole house, worst after rain.
- 3. A pump tank alarm that won't reset.
- 4. A lush, wet strip of grass over the trenches.
- 5. A neighbor or inspector reporting odor near a creek or ditch.
What it costs
What septic repairs typically cost
Average septic repair
$600–$3,000
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Line repair or replacement
$1,000–$5,000
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Distribution box replacement
$500–$1,500
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Drain field replacement
$3,000–$15,000
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 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- 01Whether a bull run valve and new field are needed or the old field can be extended.
- 02Field product chosen for the repair.
- 03Slope and access on hilly lots.
- 04Whether the city orders a sewer hookup instead.
FAQ
Cumming septic repair questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620How long do I have to fix a failing septic system in Cumming?
Thirty days from written notice by the city or the Forsyth County Health Department. Either can instead require a sewer connection within 30 days, after which the old tank is cleaned and filled at your expense.
Source: City of Cumming Code § 111-132 — Private wastewater disposal
Who issues the septic repair permit for a Cumming house?
Forsyth County Environmental Health, at 2435 Freedom Parkway, Suite 2400. Cumming Utilities' septic page refers owners to that office (770-781-6909).
Source: Cumming Utilities — Septic
What does Forsyth need before it inspects a septic repair?
The proposed footage, the field product, the recorded plat if there is one, and a site plan showing how the new field connects. The county will not schedule the site visit until those are in.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health — Septic Repair Permit Requirements (2025)
What does a Forsyth septic repair permit cost?
The 2024 schedule lists $150 for a residential repair and $350 for a commercial one, plus $100 for each reinspection. Soil classifier and contractor costs are separate.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health — Fees (updated 2024)
Can a septic company dump my tank into the Cumming sewer?
Only at the city's reclamation plant, under a permit, and only for tanks inside the city's service area. Dumping anywhere else in the sewer can bring a fine of up to $1,000 per occurrence.
Source: City of Cumming Code § 111-63 — Customer's responsibility and liability
Will Cumming make me switch to sewer instead of repairing?
It can. If a city sewer is within 100 feet of your property line, the city may order a connection within 30 days of notice, and a failing tank gives it reason to.
Source: City of Cumming Code § 111-131 — Use of public sewers required
My Cumming tank is old. Does it meet today's design?
Probably not fully. Georgia's homeowner guide, which Forsyth's health office posts, says tanks installed before February 20, 2000 have one compartment, while later tanks need two compartments and an effluent filter.
Source: Georgia DHR — A Homeowners Guide to On-Site Sewage Management Systems (hosted by Forsyth County EH)
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
- 1City of Cumming Code § 111-132 — Private wastewater disposal
- 2Forsyth County Environmental Health — Septic Repair Permit Requirements (2025)
- 3Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.03
- 4Forsyth County Environmental Health — Fees (updated 2024)
- 5Cumming Utilities — Septic
- 6Forsyth County Environmental Health (District 2 Public Health) — home page
- 7Forsyth County Environmental Health — Pumping of Septic Tanks (Buyer Beware)
- 8HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025)
- 9City of Cumming Code § 111-63 — Customer's responsibility and liability
- 10City of Cumming Code § 111-131 — Use of public sewers required
- 11Georgia DHR — A Homeowners Guide to On-Site Sewage Management Systems (hosted by Forsyth County EH)
Ready when you are
Got a notice on your Cumming tank? We'll build the permit packet.
Call with the notice date and what you're seeing. We'll inspect, draw the site plan Forsyth wants, and give you a free estimate before the 30 days run out.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Oxford, GA
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620