Stonecrest, GA · DeKalb County
Stonecrest sewer and septic service, from commercial grease and sewer lines around the mall to septic systems on rocky lots near Arabia Mountain.
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Who handles sewer and septic in Stonecrest, GA?
The City of Stonecrest doesn't run water or sewer; its trouble guide sends residents to DeKalb Water and Sewer, and restaurants on county sewer must join Watershed Management's grease program. Septic systems are permitted by DeKalb Public Health. Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions repairs Stonecrest commercial sewer, grease lines, laterals and septic systems.↗↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
Local facts
Stonecrest in eight lines
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Became a city | Voters approved it in November 2016; first mayor and council elected March 2017 | Stonecrest, Georgia - Wikipedia |
| Population | 59,194 in 2020 — the largest city entirely inside DeKalb | Stonecrest, Georgia - Wikipedia |
| Namesake | The Mall at Stonecrest, opened October 24, 2001 off I-20 exit 75 | The Mall at Stonecrest - Wikipedia |
| Median year built | 1999 | Census Reporter: Stonecrest, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| Soil at the city center | Ashlar-Wedowee complex, 10–25% slopes; Ashlar hits bedrock at 20–40 inches | Official Series Description — ASHLAR Series (USDA NRCS) |
| Water and sewer problems | Reported to DeKalb Water and Sewer, 770-270-6243 | Trouble Resource Guide | Stonecrest, GA |
| Nature preserve | Davidson-Arabia Mountain, 2,550 acres of outcrops, lakes and old quarry works | Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area - Wikipedia |
| River in city limits | South River, plus Snapfinger, Stephenson and Pole Bridge creeks | Census TIGERweb Hydro MapServer — hydrography intersecting Stonecrest city (place 1373784) |
The Stonecrest story
A city named after a mall runs on commercial sewer
Few cities are named for a shopping center. Stonecrest is: The Mall at Stonecrest opened at I-20 exit 75 in 2001, and the city that voters created in 2016 took its name. A super-regional mall and the businesses around it put a lot of kitchens and restrooms on one stretch of county sewer.↗↗
Stonecrest has no grease ordinance of its own; DeKalb's rules apply. Food service establishments connected to the county wastewater system must participate in Watershed Management's commercial FOG program, and county compliance inspectors routinely check grease interceptors and related equipment.↗
The county code sets the trigger. Under Sec. 25-257, a separator is required once wastes carry more than 100 mg/l of fat, oil, grease or sand. The county must approve the interceptor in writing, it has to sit where inspectors can reach it, and the owner pays for it.↗
Downstream of the interceptor, the building sewer usually runs under parking and drive lanes to the public line. That run is private. We saw-cut, excavate, replace the pipe and patch the pavement, scheduling around store hours where we can.↗
Few cities are named for a shopping center.
Soil & terrain
Arabia Mountain rock under Stonecrest lots
The 2,550-acre Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve lies inside Stonecrest: exposed granite, two lakes and abandoned quarry works. Arabia Mountain itself rises 172 feet above Arabia Lake.↗
The soil tells the same story at a smaller scale. At the city's center point the USDA maps Ashlar-Wedowee complex on 10–25% slopes, and Ashlar is only moderately deep, with bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. A septic trench wants depth; on ground like that, finding enough of it drives the whole design.↗↗
- South River
- Snapfinger, Stephenson, Pole Bridge, Honey, Crooked and Swift creeks
- Arabia, Panola, Stewarts, Forest and Joels lakes
Sewer or septic?
Stonecrest's split: county sewer at the core, septic out toward the rock
Everything piped in Stonecrest belongs to DeKalb Watershed Management. The city's own guide tells residents to call DeKalb Water and Sewer about main leaks, sewer spills, brown water or lost pressure. Homes outside that network rely on septic systems permitted by DeKalb Public Health.↗
Creeks thread through much of the city, and Stonecrest has resumed its Panola Shoals streambank stabilization project, with trailhead parking kept closed for safety. A leaking tank or lateral on a creek-side lot doesn't stay put.↗
How to tell which one you have
- Businesses: your Watershed account shows sewer service if the building is connected.
- Homes: no sewer charge from Watershed usually means a septic tank.
- DeKalb Public Health can confirm a septic permit on file.
Permits · DeKalb Public Health — Environmental Health Division
Permitting a Stonecrest septic job, commercial or residential
- 01
Commercial and residential systems alike start with a DeKalb Public Health construction permit; no lot work begins before it.↗
- 02
The application lists design flow, which decides the commercial fee band: under or over 2,000 gallons per day.↗
- 03
Grading or filling the site after approval can void the permit — a real risk on sloped Ashlar ground.↗
- 04
A final inspection is required before the system is covered; the permit lasts 12 months.↗
Who owns what
Your pipe, the county's pipe, in Stonecrest
DeKalb Watershed Managementsewer lateral
Property owner up to the street right-of-way or sewer easement; county inside it↗
Where the line sits: Right-of-way / easement edge
DeKalb Watershed Managementwater service line
County through the meter; property owner after it↗
Where the line sits: Meter
On a retail pad that means the interceptor, the building sewer and the pipe under the lot are the owner's, all the way to the edge of the county's easement.↗↗
Services here
Services for Stonecrest homes and businesses
- 01Commercial Sewer RepairBuilding sewers under parking lots around the exit 75 retail area.Commercial Sewer Repair details
- 02Commercial Septic RepairBusiness systems off the county network, permitted in DeKalb's $400–$600 bands.Commercial Septic Repair details
- 03Sewer Line RepairLaterals in a city whose median home dates to 1999.Sewer Line Repair details
- 04Sewer Line Installation & ReplacementNew and replacement building sewers, including septic-to-sewer tie-ins.Sewer Line Installation & Replacement details
- 05Septic RepairHomes on septic toward the Arabia Mountain side.Septic Repair details
- 06Drain Field Repair & ReplacementSiting a field where Ashlar bedrock sits 20–40 inches down.Drain Field Repair & Replacement details
- 07Septic InstallationNew systems on lots the sewer doesn't reach.Septic Installation details
- 08Septic PumpingScheduled pump-outs for Stonecrest tanks.Septic Pumping details
- 09Septic InspectionBefore buying a Stonecrest home that isn't on sewer.Septic Inspection details
- 10Water Line Repair & InstallationService lines past the DeKalb meter, homes and storefronts.Water Line Repair & Installation details
- 11Emergency Septic & Sewer ServiceA backed-up kitchen line or a house drain that won't clear.Emergency Septic & Sewer Service details
Also available:Sewer Camera InspectionExcavation, Grading & Drainage
On the map
Stonecrest on the map
About 29 min / 19.6 mi by road from our Oxford shop
Routed from Oxford to the center of Stonecrest.
Route sourceFAQ
Stonecrest questions we get
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Does the City of Stonecrest fix water and sewer problems?
No. Stonecrest's Trouble Resource Guide tells residents to report water main leaks, sewer spills, brown water or loss of water to DeKalb Water and Sewer at 770-270-6243. The city doesn't operate those systems. Problems on the private side of the line go to a contractor like us.
Does my Stonecrest restaurant have to be in a grease program?
If it's a food service establishment connected to the DeKalb County wastewater system, yes. Watershed Management says participation in its commercial fats, oils and grease program is required, and its compliance inspectors routinely inspect grease interceptors. The program's contact is 311CCC@dekalbcountyga.gov.
Source: Commercial Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Program | DeKalb County, GA
When does a Stonecrest business need a grease interceptor?
DeKalb Code Sec. 25-257 requires grease, oil and sand separators when wastes contain more than 100 mg/l of fat, oil, grease or sand. The county must approve the unit in writing, it must be easy to inspect, and the owner pays for it. Private living quarters are exempt.
What are DeKalb's permit fees for a commercial septic system in Stonecrest?
DeKalb Public Health charges $400 for commercial lot plan review and site approval, then $400 for an installation permit under 2,000 gallons per day or $600 above that. A repair permit on any system is $150. Those figures come from the schedule effective January 1, 2024.
Source: DeKalb Public Health Environmental Health Division Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2024)
Can you put a septic system on rocky ground near Arabia Mountain?
Sometimes, with the right design. The soil mapped at central Stonecrest is Ashlar-Wedowee, and Ashlar reaches bedrock at 20 to 40 inches, which limits trench depth. The soil report and site evaluation decide what fits; DeKalb Public Health reviews both before issuing a permit.
Source: Official Series Description — ASHLAR Series (USDA NRCS)
Are Stonecrest sewer laterals new enough to skip worrying about?
Newer than most nearby: the median Stonecrest home was built in 1999. That still means half are older, and a 25-year-old lateral can crack or take in roots. Newer isn't immune to settling on 10–25% slopes either.
Who pays to fix the sewer pipe under a Stonecrest parking lot?
The property owner. DeKalb code makes the owner responsible for the building sewer on private property and the county responsible only inside rights-of-way and sewer easements. The owner also bears all costs of installing and connecting a building sewer.
Source: DeKalb County Code Ch. 25, Art. IV, Div. 3 — Building Sewers and Connections (Municode, Supp. 72)
Nearby areas
Next door to Stonecrest
- Lithonia septic & sewerLithonia septic & sewer in the old quarry town.
- Redan septic & sewerRedan septic & sewer, unincorporated DeKalb just north.
- Stone Mountain septic & sewerStone Mountain septic & sewer service.
- Ellenwood septic & sewerEllenwood septic & sewer to the southwest.
- Conyers septic & sewerConyers sewer & septic, east on I-20.
- Rex septic & sewerRex septic & sewer in Clayton County.
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
- 1Trouble Resource Guide | Stonecrest, GA
- 2Commercial Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Program | DeKalb County, GA
- 3Septic Systems | DeKalb Public Health
- 4Stonecrest, Georgia - Wikipedia
- 5The Mall at Stonecrest - Wikipedia
- 6Census Reporter: Stonecrest, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 7Official Series Description — ASHLAR Series (USDA NRCS)
- 8Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area - Wikipedia
- 9Census TIGERweb Hydro MapServer — hydrography intersecting Stonecrest city (place 1373784)
- 10DeKalb County Code Ch. 25, Art. IV, Div. 5 — Sec. 25-257 Separators and interceptors (Municode, Supp. 72)
- 11DeKalb County Code Ch. 25, Art. IV, Div. 3 — Building Sewers and Connections (Municode, Supp. 72)
- 12USDA NRCS Soil Data Access — map unit at Stonecrest city coordinates (GA089)
- 13Panola Shoals | Stonecrest, GA (city news)
- 14Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1 On-Site Sewage Management Systems
- 15DeKalb Public Health — OSSMS Construction Permit and Site Approval Application (Aug. 20, 2026)
- 16DeKalb Public Health Environmental Health Division Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2024)
- 17DeKalb County Code Ch. 25, Art. II, Div. 1 — Sec. 25-43 Location, ownership of facilities (Municode, Supp. 72)
Ready when you are
Kitchen line backing up in Stonecrest? We dig through the lot and fix it.
Call (678) 863-5620 for a free on-site estimate on commercial sewer, grease lines or a septic system on rocky ground.
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