Septic permits & records
Forsyth County Environmental Health (Land Use Section)
- Address
- 2435 Freedom Pkwy, Ste 2400, Cumming, GA 30041
- Phone
- 770-781-6909
Forsyth County · Septic & sewer rules
Septic and sewer service across Forsyth County, where Cumming is the only city, Lake Lanier supplies the water, and many homes still treat wastewater on site.
Cumming is the county seat. Septic permits and records: Forsyth County Environmental Health (Land Use Section), part of District 2 Public Health (North Georgia) — Forsyth County Environmental Health.
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or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Who permits septic systems and runs the sewer in Forsyth County, GA?
Septic permits come from Forsyth County Environmental Health, now at 2435 Freedom Parkway in Cumming. Sewer outside Cumming is the county Department of Water & Sewer, whose five reclamation plants serve most homes; Cumming runs its own system. County code orders a hookup when sewer comes within 200 feet of a tank.↗↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
The Forsyth County story
A county of addresses without a town hall
Forsyth has exactly one incorporated city. Cumming is the county seat and the only municipal government, so nearly every other home here is unincorporated, and plenty of them carry mailing addresses borrowed from cities in neighboring counties, Suwanee among them.↗
That matters when a pipe fails. There is no small-town public works department to call. Outside Cumming the sewer belongs to the county, the tanks belong to the owners, and a single Environmental Health office decides every septic permit from its office on Freedom Parkway.↗↗
The housing is young by metro standards. The median Forsyth home dates to 2004, and single-family detached houses account for about 78,000 of roughly 92,600 units. Young systems still fail, though, and the soil survey further down shows how little forgiving ground many lots have.↗
On the record
- Cumming is Forsyth County's only incorporated city; most residents live in unincorporated areas, many under ZIP codes assigned to cities in neighboring counties.↗
Local facts
Forsyth County wastewater at a glance
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 permit office | 2435 Freedom Pkwy, Ste 2400, Cumming 30041 · 770-781-6909 (old West Maple St. office closed) | Forsyth County Environmental Health (District 2 Public Health) — home page |
| County sewer plants | Five water reclamation facilities, up to 12.6 million gallons a day combined | Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Facilities & Tours |
| New home septic permit | $350 up to seven rooms, $550 for eight or more | Forsyth County Environmental Health — New Septic System Application Requirements (2025) |
| Soil rating for drain fields | About 43% of surveyed acreage very limited, 47% somewhat limited, none unrestricted | USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — ENG Septic Tank Absorption Fields, survey area GA117 (Forsyth County) |
| County hookup trigger | Sewer within 200 feet of the existing tank; connect within 30 days of official notice (§ 82-50) | Forsyth County Code § 82-50 — Connection of toilet facilities |
| Water supply | Lake Lanier; record low lake level in December 2007 | Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Water Source |
| Median year built | 2004 (ACS 2020-2024) | Census Reporter API — Forsyth County, GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year) |
Sewer or septic?
Mostly sewered, with tanks the code lets stay
The county utility puts it plainly: most homes, schools and businesses send wastewater to one of its five plants, and some homes treat it on site. No office publishes the split, so the only reliable answer for a given address is the bill or the permit file.↗
Forsyth's own code measures differently from the state. Section 82-50 counts the 200 feet from the tank now serving the house, not from the property line, and gives the owner 30 days after official notice to connect.↗
Section 82-52 lets an existing tank keep working until the Board of Health calls it a public health problem. At that point the owner has 30 days to correct it, and if sewer is ordered the old tank gets pumped and filled at the owner's cost.↗
How to tell which one you have
- A county water bill with sewer usage charges means the house is sewered.
- Ask Environmental Health for the permit drawing; files reach back to the early 1970s.
- Homes on wells or Cumming water need a different check, since the county bill won't show sewer.
Permits · Forsyth County Environmental Health, Land Use Section — 2435 Freedom Pkwy, Ste 2400, Cumming
How a Forsyth septic permit actually moves
The Land Use Section issues every permit and makes the final inspection. It accepts applications by email and payments by phone.
- 01
Any build, remodel, outbuilding or pool on a septic lot needs Environmental Health's sign-off before the county issues a building permit.↗
- 02
New systems need a stamped Level 3 soil report, the recorded plat, labeled floor plans for every level, an Engineering-approved LGP, and a site plan showing primary and secondary lines at 100 feet per bedroom or more.↗
- 03
The four main house corners must be staked before the inspector visits, and incomplete packets are turned back.↗
- 04
Plan on twenty business days or longer for a decision once the packet and fee are in.↗
- 05
The permit expires after twelve months at most, and nothing gets backfilled until the final inspection passes.↗
Published fees
Soil & terrain
Cecil clay, old gullies and two river basins
Half of the county's surveyed ground is Cecil, the red clay subsoil that runs across the Piedmont. Another slice is mapped simply as "gullied land," ground eroded badly enough that the survey never assigned it a named soil.↗
Water splits two ways. Roughly the eastern two-thirds of Forsyth drains to the Chattahoochee and Lake Lanier, while the northwest third heads to the Etowah. That divide shapes which creeks sit below a field and how far the setbacks push it.↗
Cecil↗
About half of surveyed acreage; eroded sandy loam and clay loam phases on 2–10% slopes dominate.
Gullied land↗
About 6.7% of acreage, mostly on acid materials — rarely usable for a field.
Madison and Appling↗
Together about 11% of acreage.
Toccoa, Chewacla, Congaree, Wehadkee↗
Stream-bottom soils, roughly 4% of acreage.
- Soil series · USDA NRCS
More about Forsyth County
Why the county pays owners to pump
Forsyth drinks from Lake Lanier, and the lake's watershed is small for its size, which is how it hit a record low in December 2007. Anything that leaks from a failing field toward a feeder creek ends up in the same water the county treats.↗
So the Department of Water & Sewer runs a pump-out rebate. Owners on county water with a tank at least three years old can claim a credit every five years, as long as the paperwork arrives within 90 days of the service. Well owners and customers of other water providers don't qualify.↗
Forsyth drinks from Lake Lanier, and the lake's watershed is small for its size, which is how it hit a record low in December 2007.
Who to call at the county
Who to call, depending on where the problem is
- Forsyth County Department of Water & Sewer County water and sewer outside CummingWater emergencies and sanitary sewer overflows: 770-781-2160, answered after hours by a dispatch service.↗
- City of Cumming Utilities Water and sewer inside Cumming's own service areaLake Lanier water plant and the Bethelview Road reclamation plant.↗
Towns we serve
Forsyth County places we serve
Cumming has its own page because it runs its own utility. Everywhere else in the county follows the county rules above, and those same rules apply along the lake roads.
Also in the county
- Unincorporated south Forsyth · Some addresses here use Suwanee mailing names.
- Sawnee Mountain area · North of Cumming, the county's high ground.
- Lake Lanier shoreline · The county's eastern border.
Services here
Work we take on in Forsyth
- 01Septic RepairPermitted field and tank repairs, filed through the Freedom Parkway office.Septic Repair details
- 02Sewer Line RepairLaterals and grinder-pump service lines on the owner's side.Sewer Line Repair details
Also available:Septic PumpingSeptic InspectionDrain Field Repair
On the map
Forsyth is a long haul from Oxford — we plan for it
About 81 min / 46.1 mi by road from our Oxford shop to central Forsyth
Routed drive to the county's geographic center, just north of Cumming.
Route sourceOn the state's installer and pumper rosters
Georgia DPH's certified installer and approved pumper lists, both dated 9/18/2026, name Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions. DPH notes that listed companies may work anywhere in the state, Forsyth included.
Guides
More reading for Forsyth owners
FAQ
Forsyth County septic and sewer questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Where is the Forsyth County septic permit office now?
Environmental Health moved to 2435 Freedom Parkway, Suite 2400, in Cumming. The old West Maple Street office is permanently closed, even though some older forms still print that address. Call 770-781-6909.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health (District 2 Public Health) — home page
How much is a septic permit in Forsyth County?
The 2024 schedule charges $350 for a new house of seven rooms or fewer and $550 for eight or more. A residential repair permit is $150, a reinspection $100, and an evaluation of an existing system $150.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health — Fees (updated 2024)
Do I have to hook up when Forsyth County sewer reaches my street?
Once you get official notice, county code gives you 30 days to connect if sewer lies within 200 feet of your existing tank. The state rule separately requires it within 200 feet of the property line. A working system with no notice can usually stay.
Source: Forsyth County Code § 82-50 — Connection of toilet facilities
Can I get money back for pumping my septic tank in Forsyth County?
Yes, if you own the home, buy water from the county, and the system is at least 36 months old. The county credits $100 to the water bill once every five years per address; send the paid invoice and a recent bill within 90 days.
Source: Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Septic Tank Pump-Out Program
How do I find the drawing of my septic system in Forsyth?
Call Environmental Health. The office keeps drawings from the early 1970s onward, but none are online, and staff may need the original owner's name to pull the file.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health — Septic tank drawing requests
Why do drain fields fail so often on Forsyth lots?
The ground is hard on them. NRCS rates about 43 percent of the county's surveyed acreage very limited for absorption fields and nearly all the rest somewhat limited. Eroded Cecil clay and old gullies leave little good soil on many lots.
Source: USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — ENG Septic Tank Absorption Fields, survey area GA117 (Forsyth County)
Who handles a sewage overflow on a Forsyth County road?
The county's Department of Water & Sewer, at 770-781-2160. After hours an answering service takes the report and dispatches crews. Inside Cumming, call Cumming Utilities instead.
How long does a Forsyth septic permit take?
Environmental Health says to allow twenty business days or more after it has a complete packet and payment. Missing plats, soil reports or unlabeled floor plans restart the clock, so we assemble the packet before submitting.
Source: Forsyth County Environmental Health — New Septic System Application Requirements (2025)
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
- 1Forsyth County Environmental Health (District 2 Public Health) — home page
- 2Forsyth County Water & Sewer — About Wastewater
- 3Forsyth County Code § 82-50 — Connection of toilet facilities
- 4Wikipedia — Forsyth County, Georgia
- 5Forsyth County Department of Water & Sewer
- 6Census Reporter API — Forsyth County, GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year)
- 7Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Facilities & Tours
- 8Forsyth County Environmental Health — New Septic System Application Requirements (2025)
- 9USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — ENG Septic Tank Absorption Fields, survey area GA117 (Forsyth County)
- 10Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Water Source
- 11Forsyth County Code § 82-52 — Septic tank regulations
- 12Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.03
- 13Forsyth County Environmental Health — Land Use (Septic Tanks)
- 14Forsyth County Environmental Health — Fees (updated 2024)
- 15Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Septic Tank Pump-Out Program
- 16Forsyth County Water & Sewer — Report a Problem
- 17Cumming Utilities — About
- 18Georgia DPH Certified Septic Tank Installer Companies list (9/18/2026)
- 19Georgia DPH Approved Septic Tank Pumper Companies list (9/18/2026)
- 20Forsyth County Environmental Health — Septic tank drawing requests
Ready when you are
Tank, lateral or lake-lot field in Forsyth? We'll map the permit path first.
Send the address and what you're seeing. We'll check whether it's a county, Cumming or Environmental Health matter, then come out for a free estimate.
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