Emerson Sewer and Drain Guide for Homeowners

Who provides sewer service here

The City of Emerson Water and Sewer Department runs both utilities. Drinking water comes mainly from Moss Spring, southwest of town, and areas outside the reach of that system get water the city buys from Bartow County under an intergovernmental agreement (Emerson Water & Sewer).

Sewage goes to the city's Henry Jordan Wastewater Treatment Plant on Joe Frank Harris Parkway, completed in 2002, which uses an extended aeration biological process and discharges treated water into Pumpkinvine Creek. The collection system serves most of the developed areas within the original city limits, in one sub-basin draining south to Pumpkinvine Creek and another draining north to the Etowah River. The city has also finished the Red Top Sewer, a privately funded gravity trunk line with three pumping stations that carries sewage to the City of Cartersville for treatment; Cartersville agreed to accept up to 1.1 million gallons a day (Emerson Wastewater). The Cartersville page covers that city's own system.

Check your city utility bill for a sewer charge, or ask the department whether your address is connected.

Where your responsibility ends

Emerson's code defines the building sewer, the owner's pipe, as the extension from the building drain to the public sewer, and it makes all costs of installing and connecting the building sewer the owner's, along with any loss or damage the installation causes (Emerson Code §§ 30-112, 30-117). Those sections don't say who repairs a lateral under the street after it's built, so ask the Water and Sewer Department before you pay for digging near the road.

For how other Georgia utilities draw that line, see who is responsible for the sewer line. Treat this as general information rather than legal advice.

If sewage backs up

Emerson has on-call staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for after-hours water or sewer emergencies, and the number is on the Water & Sewer page (Emerson Water & Sewer). Call them if sewage is coming up in your house or out of a manhole.

While you wait for the on-call crew, what to do in a sewer backup covers the first steps inside, and sewer backup insurance in Georgia covers who pays for damage.

Repairs, permits and inspections

The City of Emerson Community Development Department is the city's building office, and it takes inspection requests online (Emerson Community Development). City code requires a permit and fee for building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work, has the city examine a system before issuing a permit to alter or repair it, and calls for inspections during the work and a final inspection when it's done (Emerson Code §§ 103-27, 103-28).

For a sewer connection, the applicant for the building sewer permit must tell the city when the building sewer is ready for inspection, and the connection and testing take place under city supervision (Emerson Code § 30-117).

Whoever digs for a new connection should file a free Georgia 811 request at least three business days ahead, as Georgia 811 asks; the request is mandatory under state law for digging with mechanized equipment (Georgia 811; Georgia dig law). Emerson's obligation under that law is to help find laterals up to the right-of-way edge, not on private land.

Grease, wipes and rainwater

Emerson's code bars connecting roof downspouts, foundation drains, areaway drains, garbage drains or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer that drains to the public sewer, unless the city approves it (Emerson Code § 30-117). For grease, wipes and other things to keep out of the drain, see what not to flush or pour.

Septic homes in this area

Owners of homes in Emerson must connect to the city sewer within 90 days of an official notice when a public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line. For a single-lot home whose nearest sewer connection is more than 200 feet away, the city considers waiving the connection requirement case by case (Emerson Code § 30-113).

Homes on septic deal with Bartow County Environmental Health, one of Northwest Georgia Public Health's county offices (NW Georgia Public Health offices). The district says an existing septic system is evaluated before loan closings and refinancing, swimming pools and home or structure additions, and it posts the application for repairs and modifications (NW Georgia Public Health). Septic or sewer: how to tell helps if you aren't sure which you have.

Cities and communities served

Emerson's sewer serves most of the developed area inside the original city limits, not the whole city, so the table marks Emerson as partly served.

Next step

If you're buying or remodeling a home in Emerson, ask the Water and Sewer Department whether the address is on city sewer before you plan any work on the line; if it isn't, start with Bartow County Environmental Health.