Serving metro Atlanta from Oxford, GA
Georgia DPH-certified septic installer & pumper24/7 Emergency? (678) 863-5620
EMERGENCY SEPTIC & SEWER · METRO ATLANTA
Send details, we'll call back
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Stop using water, keep children and pets away from the sewage, and don't pour in chemicals or additives. Then call for emergency septic service. In metro Atlanta, Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions, a Georgia DPH-certified septic installer and pumper in Oxford, GA, will tell you how fast we can be there when you call (678) 863-5620.
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
Who does the work
One crew, the whole line
How the job runs
Every flush and every sink adds to what's already backing up. EPA's advice when a system can't take water is to conserve as much as possible while it recovers. If you're on city sewer and the backup is bad, closing the main water valve stops anyone from adding more by habit.
They release a lot of water at once and are the fastest way to push sewage out of a floor drain or bottom-floor tub. Leave them off until we tell you the line is clear.
EPA says to avoid contact with backed-up sewage because it may contain harmful pathogens. CDC's floodwater guidance adds: don't let children play in affected areas, and wash hands with soap and water after any contact.
Soggy ground over a field is saturated with effluent. Don't walk, park or drive on it, and don't open the tank yourself. EPA warns that septic tanks may contain dangerous gases and only trained specialists should clean or repair them.
Georgia DPH's position is that additives "are not beneficial" and "can be detrimental." Georgia rules ban strong bases, acids and organic solvents in a septic system (Rule 511-3-1-.17(3)). A caustic drain opener can also burn whoever opens the pipe next.
511-3-1-.17(3)Georgia DPH — Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: Additives and Your On-site Sewage Management System
If the tank alarm is sounding, silence the buzzer at the panel if it has a switch, but don't keep resetting breakers. EPA advises staying away from a system's electrical or mechanical devices that could be flooded until they're dry and clean.
CDC says to wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles around sewage-contaminated water. EPA's cleanup guidance is to disinfect with a mix of 90 percent water and 10 percent household bleach and keep the area out of use until it has been completely dry for at least 24 hours.
Where the sewage is coming up, whether you're on septic or sewer, when the tank was last pumped, and whether it just rained. That tells us what to bring. Call (678) 863-5620 and we'll tell you how fast we can be there.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Who you're calling | Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions — on the Georgia DPH lists of certified septic installers and approved septic pumpers (both dated 9/18/2026) | Georgia DPH Approved Septic Tank Pumpers list (9/18/2026), 2026 |
| Sewage on the ground | Georgia law prohibits allowing effluent to seep or discharge to the ground surface (Rule 511-3-1-.17(1)) | Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1 On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016), 2016 |
| Emergency repairs still need a permit | Septic repairs must be permitted and inspected by the county health department (Rule 511-3-1-.03) | Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1 On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016), 2016 |
| Additives | Georgia DPH: additives are not beneficial and can be detrimental; they never replace pumping | Georgia DPH — Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: Additives and Your On-site Sewage Management System |
| After heavy rain | EPA: don't open the tank for pumping while the soil is still saturated; mud and silt can end up in the drain field | US EPA — Septic Systems: What to Do after the Flood |
| Pumping out a backed-up tank | $295–$610, typical market range per HomeGuide (2025) | HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025 |
| After-hours cleanup premium | Sewage cleanup companies often add $200–$500 for after-hours or weekend calls, per HomeGuide (2025) | HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewage Cleanup Cost? (Aug. 22, 2025), 2025 |
Plain definitions
The whole story
The fix depends on where the blockage is, so the first ten minutes on the phone are questions. Here's how we narrow it down, and you can do most of it yourself.
**One fixture backs up, the rest drain.** That's a branch clog inside the house, not an emergency at the tank or the street. Stop using that fixture.
**The lowest drain in the house backs up when you flush or run water upstairs.** That's the main house drain or everything beyond it. Go outside and find the cleanout. If you pop the cap and it's full of standing sewage, the blockage is downstream of the cleanout: the lateral or the tank inlet. If it's dry, the clog is between the house and the cleanout.
**You're on city sewer and neighbors have it too.** That points at the public main, which is the utility's problem. Gwinnett DWR tells owners to call its own 24-hour line (678.376.7000) for backups and clears blockages in the main and in the lateral inside the right-of-way. NCWSA still clears clogs in the street main. Call the utility first; if their line is clear, the blockage is on your side.
**You're on septic and the tank hasn't been pumped in years.** A full tank or a clogged outlet baffle is the most common cause. The fix is usually pumping, plus a look at the baffle and filter. We're on the DPH approved pumper list and can pump the tank.
**The alarm is going off.** On a system with a pump tank, the alarm means the water level is too high. The pump may have failed, a float may be stuck, a breaker may have tripped, or the field may be refusing water. See our guide to a septic alarm going off.
**It's been raining for days.** A backup after heavy rain is often a drowned drain field, not a broken part. EPA says not to pump while the soil is saturated because silt can get into the tank and field. A tank emptied in waterlogged ground can even shift or float. Sometimes the right emergency move is to cut water use to almost nothing and wait for the ground to drain. Our guide on septic backing up after rain walks through it.
**Sewage is surfacing in the yard.** That's a failing field or a broken line, and it's the one that brings the health department in. Georgia's rules prohibit letting effluent discharge to the ground surface. It needs a permitted repair.
Warning signs
Sewage in the house or yard? Call (678) 863-5620 now
Your options
OPTION 01
When it fits: The septic tank is full or the outlet is clogged, and the ground isn't saturated.
OPTION 02
When it fits: The blockage is between the house and the tank or the street: roots, a belly, a crushed or separated pipe.
If the line needs replacing rather than patching, trenchless methods are an option we'll discuss with you. What we do is excavate and replace or spot-repair.
OPTION 03
When it fits: The alarm is on, the pump tank is full, and the field is taking water fine.
OPTION 04
When it fits: The tank is pumped and the field still won't take water, or sewage is surfacing over it.
Homes & businesses
Residential
At a house the priority is getting sewage out of living space and making the plumbing usable again: stop the backup, find the cause, and tell you honestly whether tonight's fix is the whole fix.
If it turns out to be the drain field, you don't need to find a second contractor. We're a DPH-certified installer, so the same company that pumped the tank pulls the repair permit and digs the field.
Commercial
For a restaurant, church, school or office, one backed-up restroom can close the building. Tell us when you're open and what the building serves, and we'll plan the work around it where the problem allows.
Commercial septic systems are sized and permitted differently, and GNR's commercial permit fee in Newton County is $600, against $275 for residential.
Permits & the Georgia rules
Pump the tank, if the ground allows, using a pumper on the Georgia DPH approved list.↗
In Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale, file GNR's repair application marked 'Repair of Failing System' and note whether sewage is backing up in the house or surfacing in the yard; the contractor may apply as your agent.↗
Provide a Level 3 soil report for the repair permit in GNR counties unless an approved one is already on file.↗
GNR asks for 10 working days to review and visit; the repair permit is valid for 12 months and the repair must be inspected.↗
If public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line, a failing system may have to connect instead of being repaired (Rule 511-3-1-.03(1)).↗
Georgia rule Rule 511-3-1-.17(1)
“No person shall allow the unapproved discharge or spillage of sewage”
Georgia rule Rule 511-3-1-.17(3)
“No strong bases, acids, or organic solvents shall be used in the operation of an on-site sewage management system.”
Georgia rule Rule 511-3-1-.02(w)
“"Failure" or "failed" means the on-site sewage system constitutes a health hazard by reason of inadequate treatment or disposal of sewage.”
GNR lists $275 for a residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspection, and $400 when the permit starts from a complaint.↗
Walton County Environmental Health (Northeast Health District) lists a $200 residential repair permit and $365 for a commercial repair permit.↗
DeKalb Public Health requires a permit before a contractor repairs a system, and only a DPH-certified contractor may repair it or pump the tank; the repair permit fee is $150.↗
County code gives an owner 30 days from a health department written order to make a malfunctioning private system sanitary, and requires connection to sewer within 30 days of notice where available (Secs. 98-193, 98-194).↗
Who owns what
Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources
Call DWR's own backup line (678.376.7000). DWR clears blockages in the main or in the lateral inside the right-of-way; outside the right-of-way it's the owner's. DWR must see an excavated lateral before a reimbursement claim.↗
Where the line sits: Right-of-way
Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority (NCWSA)
Since March 1, 2021, customers pay to clear blockages from the building through the tap at the main; NCWSA still clears clogs in the street main.↗
Where the line sits: Tap at the main
City of Covington
Customers maintain and keep clean the sewer pipes from their plumbing to the city street line or the city main, whichever is nearer.↗
Where the line sits: Street line or main, whichever is nearer
DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
The owner maintains the building sewer on private property; the county maintains it within county rights-of-way and sewer easements (Sec. 25-220).↗
Where the line sits: Property line / right-of-way
What it costs
Unclog or pump a backed-up septic tank
$295–$610
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2025
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Septic pump repair
$250–$400
per job
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Septic pump replacement
$500–$1,300
per job
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Outlet baffle repair
$250–$900
per job
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Sewer line repair
$150–$3,800
per job, by method
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2025
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewer Line Replacement Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Sewer backup repair (minor repairs and cleanup)
$500–$2,000
per job
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewer Line Replacement Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025), 2025
Sewage cleanup
$7–$15+
per square foot
HomeGuide, 2025; a small single-room backup handled quickly may cost about $2,000
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewage Cleanup Cost? (Aug. 22, 2025), 2025
After-hours or weekend premium (cleanup companies)
$200–$500
added to the bill
Published for sewage cleanup services, per HomeGuide, 2025
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewage Cleanup Cost? (Aug. 22, 2025), 2025
Every figure here is a published third-party market range or a public fee schedule, not our price. Our on-site estimates are free, and when you call we'll tell you how fast we can be there.
Free estimate: (678) 863-5620Where we do this
FAQ
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620When sewage is coming into the house, surfacing in the yard, or a pump alarm won't stop, yes. EPA advises avoiding contact with backed-up sewage because it may contain harmful pathogens. Stop using water, keep children and pets away, and call (678) 863-5620. We'll tell you how fast we can be there.
No. Georgia DPH's advisory says additives are not beneficial and can be detrimental, and chemical types can push suspended solids into the drain field. Georgia Rule 511-3-1-.17(3) bans strong bases, acids and organic solvents in septic systems. Leave the drains alone and call.
Usually the drain field is saturated with rainwater and can't accept effluent. EPA says not to use the system if the soil is saturated and flooded, and not to open the tank for pumping while the soil is still saturated. Cut water use to the minimum and call; we'll decide together whether to pump now or wait.
On a system with a pump tank, the alarm means the water level is higher than it should be. The pump may have failed, the float may be stuck, a breaker may have tripped, or the field may not be taking water. Stop using water, don't open the tank, and call. HomeGuide lists pump replacement at $500–$1,300.
Source: HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (Dec. 22, 2025)
Check with the utility, especially if neighbors have trouble too. Gwinnett DWR asks owners to call its own backup line and clears blockages in the main and inside the right-of-way. NCWSA clears street mains, but since 2021 customers pay to clear the lateral through the tap. If the utility's side is clear, the problem is yours to fix.
Source: Gwinnett County Sewer Service Lateral Repair/Cleaning Policy
Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles, as CDC advises. EPA says to disinfect with a mixture of 90 percent water and 10 percent household bleach, wash every tool and piece of clothing used, and keep the area out of use until it has been completely dry for at least 24 hours. Large or long-standing spills are a job for a cleanup company.
Pumping doesn't; the pumper must be on the DPH approved list. A repair usually does. Georgia Rule 511-3-1-.03 requires septic repairs to be permitted and inspected. In Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale, GNR's application asks whether sewage is backing up in the house or surfacing in the yard. We handle the permit.
Source: GNR Residential Septic System Repair Permit Application and Requirements (Rev. 2024-05-03)
Some do. We couldn't find a published range for septic pumping premiums, so we won't guess. For sewage cleanup companies, HomeGuide reports after-hours or weekend service often adds $200–$500. Ask any company for the full price before they start. When you call us, we'll tell you what to expect.
Source: HomeGuide — How Much Does Sewage Cleanup Cost? (Aug. 22, 2025)
No. Each flush adds to what's already coming back into the house. EPA's guidance when a system can't take water is to conserve as much as possible until it recovers. If someone must use a toilet, use the highest one in the house sparingly and keep the washer and dishwasher off.
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
Call (678) 863-5620 now and we'll tell you how fast we can be there. Until then, stop the water, keep people and pets away from the sewage, and follow the steps below.
(678) 863-5620Free estimate
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