Dallas, GA Sewer and Drain Guide for Homeowners

Who provides sewer service here

The City of Dallas operates its own wastewater treatment plant on Old Cartersville Road. It is designed for 3.0 million gallons a day, uses primary, secondary and tertiary treatment with UV disinfection, and must meet a discharge permit enforced by Georgia's Environmental Protection Division (Dallas Wastewater Treatment Plant). The city's Sewer Maintenance Department handles cleaning, sewer repair, main-line and service-line backups, blockages and general sewer questions on a system of sanitary sewers from 4 to 24 inches in diameter (Dallas Sewer Maintenance). On the water side, the city distributes water to about 2,650 customers in its water service area (Dallas Water).

Effective July 8, 2025, water service and sewer billing for a list of developments moved from the city to Paulding County Water, including Heritage Club, Hayes Park, Silver Ridge, Seaboard Station, Vista Lake, Cole Creek and others named on the city's page. The city still provides sanitation in those developments, and customers whose city account numbers begin with 01, 15, 20 or 21 were not affected (Dallas billing transfer). Paulding County Water says it bills for City of Dallas sewer in several locations where it supplies the water (Paulding Water brochure). For homes on county sewer, see the Paulding County page.

Where your responsibility ends

Dallas's Sewer Department lists its own duties, and they include root and grease control in all sewer mains and city-owned service lines, plus the repair, maintenance and inspection of city-owned service lines and grinder pumps (Dallas Sewer Department Responsibilities). So some service lines, or parts of them, belong to the city.

City code covers the private side. All costs of installing and connecting the building sewer are the owner's, and the building sewer must connect to the public sewer at the existing sewer service lateral for the lot, with only one lot served by each service connection (Dallas Code § 40-51). Neither source says exactly where a city-owned service line ends on a given lot, so ask the Sewer Maintenance Department before paying for digging near the street. Who is responsible for the sewer line lists the rules other Georgia providers publish. This page is general information, not legal advice; the Sewer Maintenance Department can say which part of your line the city owns.

If sewage backs up

Main-line and service-line backups are on the Sewer Maintenance Department's list, and the city says that even when it can't solve a problem itself, it will point residents to the person or department who can (Dallas Sewer Maintenance; Responsibilities). If your bill comes from Paulding County Water but your sewer is the city's, the county's brochure gives a City of Dallas number for reporting the backup (Paulding Water brochure).

While the city checks its side, what to do in a sewer backup covers cleanup safety, and sewer backup insurance in Georgia explains coverage for damage.

Repairs, permits and inspections

The City of Dallas Community Development Department issues building, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, plumbing and pool permits for residential and commercial work. Applications go through the city's online portal or by email, and the city asks applicants to confirm from the tax district on the county assessor's site that the address is inside Dallas city limits. Applicants supply a business license, state contractor license and photo ID (Dallas Building). The plumbing permit page also carries an affidavit form for sewer line installation (Dallas Plumbing Permit).

City code requires a written permit before anyone uncovers, connects to or alters a public sewer. A building sewer trench may not be backfilled until the work has been inspected, tested and approved, and the connection to the public sewer is made under the supervision of the superintendent or a representative (Dallas Code § 40-51).

Locating city-owned lines is another item on the Sewer Department's list, with a reminder to call 811 before digging (Responsibilities). Georgia 811 itself asks for at least three business days' notice before any digging, free of charge, and state law requires a request before mechanized digging (Georgia 811; Georgia dig law).

Grease, wipes and rainwater

The city calls fats, oils and grease a major problem for the Dallas sewer system: when poured down drains they form thick layers that narrow the pipes, which leads to spills and overflows, odors and pests. Restaurants are a significant source, and the city has a separate commercial FOG application for them (Dallas FOG). What not to flush or pour covers household grease and wipes.

Rainwater stays out of the sewer. Dallas code bars connecting roof downspouts, foundation drains, areaway drains or other surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer that drains to the public sewer. If a house sewer lets in groundwater or rainwater, the city may require repairs, charge a higher sewer rate or require the house to disconnect (Dallas Code § 40-51).

Cities and communities served

The City of Dallas's sewer serves parts of Dallas, including some developments now billed by Paulding County Water, so the table marks Dallas as partly served.

Next step

Look at who bills you for sewer and whether your development is on the city's transfer list. If you're on City of Dallas sewer, call the Sewer Maintenance Department about a backup or a line near the street, even if Paulding County sends the bill.