South Fulton, GA · Fulton County
Septic and sewer service in the City of South Fulton, Georgia, where older homes are often on septic and newer ones are on Fulton County sewer.
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or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Is the City of South Fulton on septic or sewer?
Both. Fulton County Public Works runs the entire sewer system in South Fulton, but some areas were never sewered, and the county's Public Works director says most houses built before 1980 have septic. Sewer laterals are the owner's; septic permits go through the Fulton County Board of Health.↗↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
At a glance
- County
- Fulton County
Sewer or septic?
The 1980 dividing line
At a February 2023 town hall at the Evelyn G. Lowery Library, Fulton's Public Works director said most South Fulton houses built before 1980 have septic systems. Some owners don't want to pay to connect, he added, which is fine as long as the systems are maintained. On average, connecting a home to sewer runs $5,000 to $6,000.↗
The census numbers show how many homes that could touch. About 10,181 of the city's 43,731 homes were built before 1980, including 5,017 from the 1970s alone.↗
How to tell which one you have
- A Fulton County sewer charge on your bill means you're connected.
- Built before 1980 and no sewer charge? Look for a tank lid in the yard.
- Fulton Public Works' fee sheet tells septic customers to call Environmental Health at 404-332-1801.
The South Fulton story
Sixteen communities, one new city
South Fulton is young as a city and old as a place. Voters chartered it with 59% of the vote in November 2016, and it incorporated on May 1, 2017, pulling in Red Oak, Cliftondale, Sandtown, Ben Hill, Cedar Grove, Boat Rock, Welcome All, part of Campbellton and more. With that vote, Fulton became the first Georgia county with no unincorporated residential land.↗
The city handles police, fire and zoning, but utilities stayed with Fulton County or private providers. That matters for a homeowner: the county, not City Hall, owns the sewer, and septic permits come from the county Board of Health.↗↗
More about South Fulton
Sewer is coming, one road at a time
Fulton County's 2021 capacity study says plainly that the county manages the entire sewer system for the City of South Fulton, and that some areas of the city were not sewered. A 2023 county town hall was held to show residents how to petition to bring sewer to their area.↗↗
The biggest announced project is the Boat Rock Road extension: about 24,000 linear feet of 8- and 10-inch sewer along Boat Rock Road, Binford Place, Campbellton Road, New Hope Road and Elva Drive, with laterals for roughly 150 to 160 properties. The city's May 2024 notice said the work had not yet started.↗
Fulton County's 2021 capacity study says plainly that the county manages the entire sewer system for the City of South Fulton, and that some areas of the city were not sewered.
Who owns what
County sewer, your lateral
Fulton County Public Workssewer lateral
Homeowner, from the home to the property line, even if the blockage is in the right-of-way↗
Where the line sits: Property line
Fulton County Public Worksmain
County; only the County or a County-approved contractor may work on laterals or cleanouts in the right-of-way, at the owner's cost↗
Where the line sits: Right-of-way / easement
Water is a different utility here: properties south of the Chattahoochee get water meters from Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management.↗
Soil & terrain
From Rion uplands to Chattahoochee bottoms
Near the city's center the USDA maps Rion sandy loam on 10–15% slopes, a deep, well-drained upland soil. Head west toward the river and it turns to Cartecay–Toccoa complex, bottomland that floods occasionally; north, it's bouldery Pacolet–Saw complex. The county's sewer basins are named for the creeks in between: Camp, Morning, Deep, Pea and Little Bear.↗↗
- Chattahoochee River
- Camp, Morning, Deep and Pea creeks
- Wolf Creek, Big Branch
Local facts
South Fulton by the numbers
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1980 | About 10,181 of 43,731 | Census Reporter: South Fulton, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| Average cost to connect a home to sewer | $5,000–$6,000 (county estimate, 2023) | Atlanta Journal-Constitution — South Fulton neighborhoods seek sewer service (Feb. 22, 2023) |
| County sewer line for South Fulton | 404-612-0211; after hours 404-612-3163 | Fulton County Department of Public Works — Service Lateral Responsibility flyer |
| Median home built | 2003 | Census Reporter: South Fulton, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| Largest ZIP codes by area | 30349, 30213, 30331 | U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-Place Relationship File |
Services here
South Fulton services
- 01Septic RepairAging tanks and fields under pre-1980 homes that never got sewer.Septic Repair details
- 02Sewer Line RepairThe owner's lateral to the property line on county sewer.Sewer Line Repair details
Also available:Septic PumpingSeptic InspectionDrain Field Repair
FAQ
South Fulton septic and sewer questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Does the City of South Fulton run the sewer?
No. Fulton County Public Works manages the entire sewer system in the city; the city itself doesn't run utilities.
Source: Fulton County DPW — South Fulton Wastewater Capacity Study (Gresham Smith, Feb. 2021, v6)
Is my pre-1980 South Fulton house on septic?
Quite possibly. The county's Public Works director said in 2023 that most South Fulton homes built before 1980 have septic systems.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution — South Fulton neighborhoods seek sewer service (Feb. 22, 2023)
What does it cost to switch from septic to sewer?
The county's estimate is $5,000 to $6,000 per home on average to connect, before any extension of the main itself.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution — South Fulton neighborhoods seek sewer service (Feb. 22, 2023)
Who handles septic permits here?
The Fulton County Board of Health, not Public Works. Its south Environmental Health office is at 1920 John Wesley Avenue in College Park.
Who fixes a sewer backup in the right-of-way?
The lateral to the property line is yours even in the right-of-way, and only the County or a County-approved contractor may work there, at your cost.
Source: Fulton County Department of Public Works — Service Lateral Responsibility flyer
Is sewer being extended to my street?
Fulton has announced projects like the Boat Rock Road extension (about 150–160 properties). The county has also held town halls on how residents can petition for sewer.
Source: Fulton County — Happening in Fulton: Sanitation Sewer Extension Townhall (Feb. 23, 2023)
How far are you from South Fulton?
About 1 hour 6 minutes and 49 miles by road from our Oxford shop to the middle of the city, per OSRM routing; the far west side takes longer.
On the map
South Fulton on the map
About 1 hr 6 min / 49.0 mi by road from our Oxford shop
Routed from Oxford to the center of the city.
Route sourceSources
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
- 1Fulton County DPW — South Fulton Wastewater Capacity Study (Gresham Smith, Feb. 2021, v6)
- 2Atlanta Journal-Constitution — South Fulton neighborhoods seek sewer service (Feb. 22, 2023)
- 3Fulton County Department of Public Works — Service Lateral Responsibility flyer
- 4Census Reporter: South Fulton, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 5Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1 On-Site Sewage Management Systems
- 6South Fulton, Georgia - Wikipedia
- 7Fulton County — Happening in Fulton: Sanitation Sewer Extension Townhall (Feb. 23, 2023)
- 8City of South Fulton — Fulton County Extends Sanitary Sewer System to Unserved Areas of the City of South Fulton (May 23, 2024)
- 9Fulton County DPW — Water and Sewer System Connection Fees (revised January 1, 2025)
- 10USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — point queries in and around South Fulton, survey area GA121
- 11U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-Place Relationship File
- 12Land-use - Fulton County Board of Health
Ready when you are
Older South Fulton home acting up? Tank or lateral, we'll find out.
Call (678) 863-5620 to schedule a visit. We confirm whether you're on septic or county sewer before we quote a thing.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
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- Oxford, GA
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620