Villa Rica, GA Sewer and Drain Service: Local Rules

Georgia Sewer clears, inspects and repairs the private side of sewer and water lines for homes served by the City of Villa Rica Utilities Department in Villa Rica. Trouble in the city's collection sewer goes to the Utilities Department, and only people the city authorizes may build the sewer service connection itself; for the building sewer that carries your home's wastewater out to it, call us at (404) 482-2527.

Villa Rica sits on the line between Carroll and Douglas counties, but its sewer service comes from the city on both sides (Utilities Department). The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority, which serves the rest of Douglas County, excludes Villa Rica from its service area (WSA 2025 report).

The City of Villa Rica Utilities Department provides drinking water, reclaimed water and wastewater service. Its work includes treating wastewater to produce reclaimed water for irrigation, repairing and maintaining water lines and sewer force and gravity mains, and maintaining the lift stations that move wastewater to the treatment plant (Utilities Department). Within it, the Distribution & Collection Division handles routine and emergency maintenance of the collection system, inspects, cleans and repairs sewer trunk lines, installs and repairs water and sewer service connections, locates underground lines and inspects new and repaired service lines (Distribution & Collection).

Sewer charges come on the city utility bill. The Customer Service Department runs utility billing for water, sewer and sanitation, and new service requires proof of ownership or a lease (Customer Service). City code leaves it to the city to define where sewer is available and what a connection costs (§ 26-153), and the city won't approve a building permit for new homes without a statement from the Utilities Director that adequate utility service is available (Utilities Department).

Carroll County's 2023 comprehensive plan lists Villa Rica among the places in the county with centralized sewer and says the city will need more wastewater capacity to serve projected growth (county plan).

The city's Building Development Department, part of Development Services, issues permits; they're required for all new structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work, and repair work, additions and remodeling usually need one too (Building Development; Building Inspections). Homeowners acting as their own general contractor on their primary residence can sign an affidavit and be issued permits in their own name; otherwise permits go only to Georgia-licensed contractors, and inspections must be called in before 4:00 p.m. the day before. If the job needs a permit, we tell you before work starts.

Touching the public sewer takes a separate written permit from the city, with a permit and inspection fee, and the connection must be made and tested under the superintendent's supervision; excavations must be guarded and any disturbed street or sidewalk restored (§§ 26-143 to 26-152). Georgia 811 asks for a free locate request at least three business days before digging, and state law requires one before digging with powered equipment (Georgia 811; law).

Villa Rica's fats, oils and grease policy is aimed at kitchens that cook for the public. Every food service establishment connected to the city's sewer must have a grease trap or interceptor serviced by a state-licensed hauler, the city may require one from any user whose wastewater carries more than 100 mg/L of grease, and mechanically operated grease traps are banned (FOG policy). For household habits, see what not to flush or pour.

Clean water stays out of the sanitary sewer. No one may connect roof downspouts, foundation drains, areaway drains or other sources of runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or drain that leads to the public sewer (§ 26-150), and the code separately bans discharging stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff or subsurface drainage to any sanitary sewer (§ 26-179).

Septic tanks are allowed in Villa Rica only where no sewer is available, with the health officer's approval (§ 26-81). An owner whose property abuts a street with a public sewer within 100 feet of the property line must connect within 30 days of official notice (§ 26-81), and when sewer reaches a home on septic, the tank must be cleaned and filled after connection (§ 26-113).

Which health office handles your septic system depends on the county. On the Carroll side, Carroll County Environmental Health, at 423 College Street in Carrollton, posts the residential septic permit and repair applications (District 4). On the Douglas side, Cobb & Douglas Public Health requires a letter from the local water and sewer provider stating that sewer isn't available before it issues a repair permit, and its checklist names the City of Villa Rica as one of those providers (repair requirements). See septic or sewer: how to tell.

Only people the city authorizes may build the sewer connection, and the connection has to be made and tested under city supervision, so any job near the street starts with a call to the Utilities Department. The building sewer on your side is where we come in. We clear it with drain cleaning or main sewer line cleaning, then a sewer camera inspection shows whether it is letting in the groundwater or rainwater that § 26-155 lets the city act on. Leaking or broken pipe gets sewer line repair, and a backup in progress gets emergency sewer and drain service. Call Georgia Sewer at (404) 482-2527.