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Georgia DPH-certified septic installer & pumper24/7 Emergency? (678) 863-5620
SEPTIC REPAIR · METRO ATLANTA
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or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Septic repair in metro Atlanta means finding the one component that failed (a baffle, outlet tee, broken pipe, tilted distribution box, pump or float) and fixing it under a county repair permit, as Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03 requires. Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions, a DPH-certified septic installer and pumper in Oxford, GA, diagnoses the tank side first.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Permit needed? | Yes. Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(2)(c): repairs, replacements and additions must be permitted and inspected. | Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016), 2016 |
| Permit life | Not more than 12 months from the date of issue (511-3-1-.03(3)(a)). | Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016), 2016 |
| Soil report (Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale) | GNR requires a Level 3 soil report for repair permits, in force since February 7, 2022. | GNR Public Health — Septic Systems (Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale), 2026 |
| County permit fee examples | GNR residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspection: $275 ($400 when it starts from a complaint). Walton residential repair permit: $200. DeKalb repair permit: $150. | GNR Environmental Health Fee Schedule — Newton County, 2026 |
| Who is responsible | The property owner. UGA Extension: in Georgia the owner is responsible for the system's operation, maintenance and repairs. | UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletin 1421 — A Beginner's Guide to Septic Systems, 2024 |
| Typical repair range | $600 to $3,000 average septic tank repair; $500 to $1,300 pump replacement (typical market ranges per HomeGuide, 2026). | HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026 |
| Sewer within 200 ft? | A failing system must connect to public sewer if it is available; a residential system under 2,000 gallons per day may be exempted if a compliant repair fits (511-3-1-.03(1)). | Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016), 2016 |
| How common septic is here | 36.8% of Georgia homes use septic, versus 25% nationally (UGA CAES). | UGA CAES News — Georgia septic systems, 2014 |
| Who we are | On the Georgia DPH lists of certified septic tank installers and [approved septic tank pumpers](https://dph.georgia.gov/media/92741/download), both dated 9/18/2026. | Georgia DPH Certified Septic Tank Installers list (dated 9/18/2026), 2026 |
Plain definitions
Warning signs
Seeing two or more? Call (678) 863-5620 for a free on-site estimate
The whole story
The most expensive mistake in septic work is replacing a drain field that wasn't the problem. A cracked outlet baffle can flush scum into the lines for years, and the field gets blamed. A tilted distribution box can drown one trench while three others sit dry, and the whole field gets condemned. So we work from the house outward and prove each part before we move on to the next.
First we find the tank and open it. As a Georgia DPH-approved pumper we can pump it on the same visit, and pumping is also a test. Before the hose goes in, we note where the liquid sits against the outlet. When we pump the tank down, we watch whether effluent runs backward out of the outlet pipe. Backflow from the outlet means the water has nowhere to go downstream. A normal level with the house still backing up puts the problem on the inlet side.
With the tank empty we can see the baffles. Concrete baffles crack and fall off. Older sanitary tees can snap at the joint, clog, or be missing entirely. The DPH additives advisory warns that acids in some additives "can actually corrode concrete septic tanks and distribution boxes" (Georgia DPH). If the outlet baffle has been gone a long time, we tell you plainly that the field has probably taken solids, and we check it next rather than assuming.
Next is the distribution box. We dig it up and run water through it. Every outlet should take an even share. If one outlet sits lower, or roots or solids are choking another, the box gets leveled, cleaned or replaced, and flow-equalizer caps can be set on the outlets. On pumped systems we check the pump, floats, panel and screen in the pump tank. That includes whether the float tree is tangled in the cord and whether the pump is actually moving water.
Only after the tank, pipes, D-box and pump are cleared do we call a drain field failed. If it is the field, you don't have to start over with a second company. The same crew that found the problem digs the lines too, under the same permit conversation with Environmental Health. The field side has its own page: drain field repair and replacement.
Your options
OPTION 01
When it fits: The inlet or outlet baffle is cracked, fallen off, clogged or missing, or the outlet filter is packed.
HomeGuide notes most pros won't do baffle work on a full tank; it gets pumped first (HomeGuide).
OPTION 02
When it fits: A pipe is broken, separated at a joint, crushed by a vehicle, or packed with roots.
OPTION 03
When it fits: One line is overloaded, the box has settled or cracked, or outlets are blocked.
OPTION 04
When it fits: The alarm is sounding, the pump runs but moves no water, or the float sticks.
OPTION 05
When it fits: Lids are cracked, sunken or buried deep, or surface water gets into the tank.
OPTION 06
When it fits: The tank is structurally failed: collapsed, badly cracked, or undersized for the house under 511-3-1-.05.
OPTION 07
When it fits: The system has failed and public sewer is available (511-3-1-.03(1)).
Homes & businesses
Residential
Most home repairs are inlet or outlet baffles, a root-choked building sewer, a settled D-box, or a pump on a house that sits below its field. The GNR application asks whether sewage is backing up in the house or surfacing in the yard (GNR). Tell us which, because it points us to the tank side or the field side.
If you're selling, a repair found during a septic inspection for a home sale still needs its own permit and inspection before closing.
Commercial
Churches, shops, offices and restaurants on septic see heavy short bursts of flow, and sometimes kitchen waste. Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(1)(c) requires facilities whose waste is stronger than 200 mg/L BOD5 and TSS to pretreat it before a conventional or chamber system. A failed outlet baffle at a commercial tank sends that load straight into the field.
Commercial repair permits cost more. GNR lists $600 for a commercial site evaluation, permit and initial inspection, and Walton lists $365 for a commercial repair permit. We plan the work around your hours.
How the job runs
Call (678) 863-5620. Tell us the symptoms, when the tank was last pumped, and whether you have an alarm or a pump. If sewage is in the house, say so; we'll tell you how fast we can be there.
We find the lids, dig to them if there are no risers, and open the tank. County permit records often show where the tank and field are. Our permit-records guide shows where to look.
Septage is removed by a certified pumper and hauled under a county septage removal permit (511-3-1-.11). With the tank down we check the baffles, walls, inlet and outlet.
511-3-1-.11Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
We expose and test the distribution box, and on pumped systems the pump, floats and panel. Only then do we decide whether the field is involved.
We handle the permit. In Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale that means a Level 3 soil report from a certified soil classifier, unless one is already on file with GNR. A chosen septic contractor may apply as the owner's agent.
511-3-1-.03(2)(c)GNR Residential Septic System Repair Permit Application and Requirements (Rev. 2024-05-03)
Baffles, pipe, D-box, pump or tank: the failed part is replaced, set level on firm bearing, and joints sealed.
Environmental Health inspects the repair before it is covered. DeKalb, for example, must be notified for final inspection before the system is covered.
511-3-1-.03(2)(c)DeKalb Public Health — Septic Systems
We backfill, add risers where it makes sense so the next pump-out needs no digging, and grade the area so surface water runs away from the lids.
511-3-1-.05(6)Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
Permits & the Georgia rules
Check whether public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line or in an abutting right-of-way. If it is, a failing system must connect unless the residential exemption applies.↗
Get a Level 3 soil report where required (all GNR counties). An approved report already on file with GNR may be reused.↗
File the county repair application. On GNR's form, mark "Repair of Failing System" and whether sewage is backing up or surfacing; your contractor may apply as your agent.↗
Allow review and a site visit. GNR asks for 10 working days, and may require an engineered site plan on difficult lots.↗
Do the repair within the 12-month permit window and call for inspection before anything is covered.↗
Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(2)(c)
“Repairs, replacement, or additions to existing systems must be permitted and inspected.”
Georgia rule 511-3-1-.03(1)(a)
“If an existing on-site sewage system fails, immediate connection shall be made to a public or community sewerage system if such a system is available.”
Georgia rule 511-3-1-.17(2)
“The property owner shall be responsible for properly operating and maintaining the on-site sewage management system to increase its life expectancy and prevent failure.”
GNR Newton Environmental Health, Covington. Level 3 soil report required. Residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspection $275; $400 when it starts from a complaint; reinspection $175. Installing without a permit costs 2 × the permit fees.↗
GNR Gwinnett Environmental Health, Lawrenceville. Level 3 soil report required. Residential $275, or $400 from a complaint; reinspection $175.↗
GNR Rockdale Environmental Health, Conyers. Level 3 soil report required. No separate repair line: repairs use the $275 residential site evaluation, permit and initial inspection fee ($600 commercial).↗
Northeast Health District. Residential repair permit $200.00; commercial repair permit $365.00 (effective August 1, 2024). Any addition to an existing system needs a Level III soil report. Ask the office whether your repair does.↗
Northeast Health District. Residential repair permit $200.00; commercial $300.00 (effective August 1, 2024).↗
DeKalb Public Health, Decatur. Repair permit $150. The repair must be permitted before work starts, and only a Georgia DPH-certified contractor may repair the system.↗
What it costs
Septic tank repair, average range
$600–$3,000
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Outlet baffle repair
$250–$900
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Baffle replacement with tank excavation
$300–$900
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Baffle Replacement Cost? (2026), 2026
Distribution box replacement
$600–$2,000
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026; includes the box, labor and permit
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Distribution Box Replacement Cost? (2026), 2026
Septic pump replacement
$500–$1,300
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Septic pump repair
$250–$400
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Tank floats installed
$100–$300
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Tank alarm installation
$250–$400
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Riser installation
$200–$400
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Root removal from the tank (pro)
$600–$1,600
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
Septic line repair or replacement
$1,000–$5,000
per job
Typical market range per HomeGuide, 2026
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Septic Tank System Repair Cost? (2026), 2026
These are published third-party typical market ranges (HomeGuide, 2026) and county fee schedules, not our prices. We give free on-site estimates.
Free estimate: (678) 863-5620Worth knowing
In the east metro, septic and sewer sit side by side. Cities like Covington, Conyers, Monroe and Snellville run public sewer, and plenty of homes near their service areas still run to a tank. That matters the day a system fails, because Georgia doesn't let you simply repair a failed septic system if public sewer is available.
Rule 511-3-1-.03(1)(a) requires connection when a public or community sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line, or in a right-of-way abutting the property. If an existing system fails, the connection is supposed to be immediate. There is one release valve. Under 511-3-1-.03(1)(b), a residential system under 2,000 gallons per day may be exempted if the repair meets the state manual and the lot has enough area and usable soils, as decided by the County Board of Health.
So before we quote a septic repair near a sewer line, we find out where the nearest main is and whether Environmental Health will allow the repair. If the answer is connect, it is the same kind of digging from our side: a new sewer lateral from the house to the tap, and the old tank pumped and filled or removed under 511-3-1-.17(5). One crew handles both halves, so you aren't coordinating a septic company to close the tank and a sewer contractor to build the lateral. The steps are in our septic-to-sewer conversion guide and on the sewer line installation page.
In the east metro, septic and sewer sit side by side.
Where we do this
FAQ
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Yes. Rule 511-3-1-.03(2)(c) says repairs, replacements and additions to existing systems must be permitted and inspected. That covers baffles, pipes, D-boxes and pumps, not just field work. A routine pump-out alone doesn't need one, per DeKalb Public Health. We handle the permit and call for the inspection.
Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
It can. The baffles and T-shaped outlet keep scum and sludge in the tank so they don't travel into the drain field (US EPA). Without an outlet baffle, solids flow into the trenches and help seal the soil. Replacing a baffle early is far cheaper than the field work that follows a missing one.
Not always. The alarm means high water in the pump tank. The cause can be a failed pump, a float stuck or tangled, a tripped breaker, or a clogged pump screen. Cut water use to the minimum and call. Don't open the pump tank yourself, and don't add chemicals. Our septic alarm guide covers the first steps.
We check it rather than guess. With the tank open we note the liquid level against the outlet, then watch for backflow from the outlet pipe during pumping. Then we inspect the baffles, dig up and water-test the distribution box, and check the pump system. The field is only blamed after those parts check out.
In Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale, GNR Public Health requires a Level 3 soil report for repair permits, in force since February 7, 2022. It comes from a state-recognized certified soil classifier and is paid to the classifier, not GNR. If an approved Level 3 report is already on file for your lot, GNR may accept it.
Source: GNR Residential Septic System Repair Permit Application and Requirements (Rev. 2024-05-03)
No. Georgia DPH's advisory says additives are not beneficial and can be harmful. Chemical and biological products can push fine solids out to the drain field, and acids can corrode concrete tanks and distribution boxes. A backup has a physical cause, such as a blockage, a failed part or a full tank, and that cause needs a repair.
Maybe. If public sewer is within 200 feet of your property line or in an abutting right-of-way, a failing system must connect. A residential system under 2,000 gallons per day may be exempted if a code-compliant repair fits the lot's area and usable soils. The County Board of Health decides, so we check with them before quoting.
Source: Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-3-1, On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Jan 2016)
The property owner. UGA Extension puts it plainly: in Georgia the property owner is responsible for the system's operation, maintenance and repairs. Georgia rule 511-3-1-.17(2) says the same. The county's role is to permit and inspect the repair, and to investigate complaints about failing systems.
Source: UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletin 1421 — A Beginner's Guide to Septic Systems
Usually yes, if your lids are buried. Every future pump-out, inspection or repair starts with digging to the lids, and a riser ends that. Georgia's rules require openings, risers and manholes to keep surface water out, so a riser has to be sealed properly. A loose one lets rainwater fill the tank.
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
A septic system fails at one part first: a baffle, a pipe joint, the distribution box, a pump or its float. We find that part, get the county repair permit, and fix it so the rest of the system stops paying for it.
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