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COST GUIDE · SEPTIC VS SEWER · GEORGIA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
A septic system that's pumped on schedule and never needs a new drain field usually costs less over the years than a monthly sewer bill. Sewer wins when the field fails, when lot conditions make repairs costly, or when you're already connected. Converting from septic means paying utility tap fees plus the new lateral.
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
Who does the work
One crew, the whole line
Key facts
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gwinnett sewer (3/4-inch meter) | $7.50 monthly base plus $9.43 per 1,000 gallons of water used (Jan. 2026) | Gwinnett DWR Rates and Fee Schedule — January 2026, 2026 |
| Monroe sewer, inside city | $27.50 monthly base plus $3.63 per 1,000 gallons; $34.76 minimum bill (2026) | City of Monroe Wastewater Rates 2026 (residential sewer rates eff. Jan. 1, 2026; tap and connection fees eff. Sept. 11, 2024), 2026 |
| Covington sewer | $6 per 1,000 gallons with an $18 minimum | City of Covington — Water Rate Information |
| Septic customers' sewer charge | None; DeKalb bills septic homes for water only | DeKalb County Watershed Management — Services & Billing |
| Septic pump-out, Atlanta | $359 to $1,048 (Angi, 2026); $250 to $375 (Septic & Well Pro, 2026) | Angi — How Much Does It Cost to Pump a Septic Tank in Atlanta? (updated May 5, 2026), 2026 |
| How often to pump | Roughly every 3 to 7 years, depending on tank size and household, per UGA Extension | UGA Extension Bulletin B1421, septic system care (rev. Oct 18, 2024), 2024 |
| Drain field replacement | $3,000 to $15,000, typical market range (HomeGuide, 2026) | HomeGuide — How Much Does a Leach or Drain Field Replacement Cost? (2026), 2026 |
| Gwinnett septic-to-sewer fee | $4,172 for a 3/4-inch meter: $4,147 system development charge plus $25 permit | Residential Septic to Sewer Procedure for Unincorporated Gwinnett County |
Plain definitions
What it costs
Septic pump-out (Atlanta)
$359–$1,048
per pumping
Angi, 2026.
Typical market range — Angi — How Much Does It Cost to Pump a Septic Tank in Atlanta? (updated May 5, 2026), 2026
Septic pump-out (metro Atlanta)
$250–$375
per pumping
Septic & Well Pro, 2026.
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Pumping Cost Georgia 2026 (updated April 10, 2026), 2026
Drain field replacement
$3,000–$15,000
per field
HomeGuide, 2026.
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does a Leach or Drain Field Replacement Cost? (2026), 2026
Conventional 3-bedroom septic system (Georgia)
$6,397–$7,600
per system
Septic & Well Pro, 2026.
Typical market range — Septic & Well Pro — Septic Installation Cost Georgia 2026 (updated June 9, 2026), 2026
Septic-to-sewer conversion work
$3,000–$15,000
per job
HomeGuide national range, 2025; utility fees extra.
Typical market range — HomeGuide — Sewer Line Installation Cost (updated December 2025), 2025
NCWSA residential sewer fee
$3,650–$3,725
one-time
$3,650 fee plus $75 tap inspection.
Typical market range — NCWSA Water and Sewer Fees (sheet header: effective July 1, 2025), 2025
Monroe residential connection (inside city)
$10,987–$11,748
one-time
$8,670 per ERU plus a $2,317 short-side or $3,078 long-side tap.
Typical market range — City of Monroe Wastewater Rates 2026 (residential sewer rates eff. Jan. 1, 2026; tap and connection fees eff. Sept. 11, 2024), 2026
Septic and conversion figures are typical market ranges from third-party publishers; sewer figures come from utility fee schedules. None of them is an Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions price. Estimates from us are free.
Free estimate: (678) 863-5620The whole story
Take a household using 5,000 gallons of water a month, a round number chosen for illustration. On Gwinnett's January 2026 schedule, the sewer portion works out to $7.50 plus 5 × $9.43, about $54.65 a month or roughly $656 a year. The same use inside Monroe comes to $27.50 plus 5 × $3.63, about $45.65 a month. In Covington, at $6 per 1,000 gallons, it's about $30 a month.
Those are our calculations from the published rates, not bills, and they leave out water charges, which you pay either way. Over twenty years at today's rates, that household would pay somewhere around $7,000 to $13,000 in sewer charges depending on the utility. Rates tend to change over time, so treat those totals as a floor for comparison rather than a forecast.
Worth knowing
UGA Extension's guidance puts pumping at roughly every 3 to 7 years. At Angi's 2026 Atlanta range of $359 to $1,048 per visit, that's three to seven pump-outs in twenty years, or about $1,000 to $7,300 total at today's prices. Add a periodic inspection and the occasional part, and routine septic ownership still tends to land below the sewer totals above. Our pumping frequency guide explains how tank size changes the interval.
The wild card is the drain field. HomeGuide's 2026 range for replacing one is $3,000 to $15,000, before the county permit (Newton's GNR schedule lists $275 for a residential repair). One field failure can erase years of savings, which is why neglect is the most expensive septic habit. Our drain field warning signs guide covers what to watch for.
UGA Extension's guidance puts pumping at roughly every 3 to 7 years.
Your options
OPTION 01
When it fits: The system works, the field has room, and sewer isn't close enough to require connecting.
OPTION 02
When it fits: A main is at or near your property line, the septic system is failing, or you're adding bedrooms the tank can't handle.
Your old tank must be pumped and filled or removed under Rule 511-3-1-.17(5).
Permits & the Georgia rules
Find out whether a public main sits within 200 feet of your property line or in an abutting right-of-way; if so, connection is generally required.↗
If a residential system under 2,000 gallons a day fails, the county board of health can exempt it from connecting when a repair meets state criteria and the lot has enough usable soil.↗
Before pricing a conversion, get the utility's fee sheet; in Gwinnett, fees are paid at the DWR Central Facility before the septic-to-sewer and plumbing permits issue.↗
Georgia rule Rule 511-3-1-.03(1)(a)
“available within two hundred feet (200') of the property line”
Georgia rule Rule 511-3-1-.03(1)(b)
“may be exempted from connecting to sewer if the repair or replacement of the system will meet the criteria”
New customers fund any sewer extension and hire a design professional whose drawings NCWSA approves before construction.↗
The conversion needs a Septic to Sewer Permit from DWR and a Plumbing Only Permit, with inspections at the cleanout tie-in and after the tank is crushed or filled.↗
The city's tap-fee page lists $3,600 for a 3/4-inch residential sewer tap; the owner builds the line from the house to the property line.↗
The residential sewer access fee was $1,811.93 on the 2022 rate sheet, the most recent schedule we could locate.↗
FAQ
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Month to month, septic is cheaper because there's no sewer bill; Gwinnett's 2026 sewer charge alone is $7.50 plus $9.43 per 1,000 gallons. Over decades, septic stays cheaper only if the system is pumped on schedule and the drain field lasts. HomeGuide puts a field replacement at $3,000 to $15,000, which can close the gap quickly.
It depends on the utility and your water use. At 5,000 gallons a month, Gwinnett's 2026 rates work out to about $55 in sewer charges, Monroe's inside-city rates about $46, and Covington's about $30. Those are calculations from published rates, excluding water charges and any future rate changes.
Expect utility fees plus construction. Gwinnett charges $4,172 for a typical 3/4-inch conversion and NCWSA $3,650 plus a $75 tap inspection. HomeGuide's 2025 national range for the conversion work itself is $3,000 to $15,000. NCWSA estimates $50 to $100 per foot to reach the nearest manhole.
Source: Residential Septic to Sewer Procedure for Unincorporated Gwinnett County
We haven't found a reliable Georgia study that puts a number on it, so we won't guess. What buyers and lenders care about is condition. A recent pumping record and an inspection showing a working tank and field matter more than the system type. Our home-sale inspection guide covers that process.
UGA Extension suggests roughly every 3 to 7 years, depending on tank size and how many people live in the house. In the Atlanta market, Angi's 2026 range is $359 to $1,048 per pump-out and Septic & Well Pro lists $250 to $375.
Source: UGA Extension Bulletin B1421, septic system care (rev. Oct 18, 2024)
Often not. Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03 requires connection when public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line or in an abutting right-of-way, and requires connecting when an existing system fails and sewer is available. Local ordinances add their own deadlines, so ask your utility once a main is built nearby.
Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
Under Rule 511-3-1-.17(5), the tank must be pumped out by a certified pumper and filled with sand, soil or rock, or removed. Gwinnett's procedure has the tank inspected after it's cleaned out and crushed or filled. Budget for that pumping and backfill as part of the conversion.
Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
Keep going
Sources
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
Ready when you are
Sewer costs a little every month and a lot up front if you're connecting. Septic costs almost nothing month to month until a pump-out or a field repair comes due. Here's how the published numbers stack up.
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