Connecting to Town of Braselton, GA Sewer

02What the Town ordinance says about septic tanks

Chapter 20 is direct. It says no private wastewater system shall be allowed in the Town of Braselton except by special agreement with the Mayor and Council. It also says new construction inside town limits and within 200 feet of a Town gravity sewer line is prohibited from permitting and constructing a septic tank unless expressly approved under extenuating and special circumstances.

The ordinance sets up a sewer service waiting list. Anyone who wants to become a new sewer customer applies to the Town Manager, and existing customers who want to increase their flow by more than 10 percent must also apply. A single-family dwelling using 350 gallons per day or less is exempt from the application and waiting list procedures.

03What the state rules add

Georgia's Department of Public Health rules apply everywhere in the state, inside and outside town limits. They say connection shall be made to a public or community sewer if it is available within 200 feet of the property line or in a public right-of-way next to the property, and that if an existing on-site system fails, immediate connection shall be made if sewer is available. A failing residential system under 2,000 gallons per day may be exempted if it can be repaired to state criteria and the county board of health finds enough area and usable soil.

When a septic tank is taken out of service, the state rules say it must be pumped by a certified pumper and filled with sand, soil or rock, or removed. That is part of the private cost of connecting.

04The charges

The Town's Sewer Connection Fees page says that, as of September 10, 2024, connections to the Town's wastewater system are charged per dwelling unit for residential structures, and per equivalent dwelling unit of 250 gallons per day for non-residential connections, with the same amount as a minimum even for structures needing less than 250 gallons per day. A posted PDF copy of Chapter 20 still shows an older, lower connection fee; rely on the current fee page and confirm with the Town.

New customers also pay a deposit, which the Town says can be mailed with the application or added to the first month's bill. If a new water meter is needed, the water meter, connection and administrative fees apply too, with a tap fee added only if the Town performs the tap.

05Questions to ask before you apply

Ask the Town whether a gravity sewer line is within 200 feet of your property line and whether a service line already reaches your property line. Ask whether your house qualifies for the single-family waiting list exemption. Ask which connection, deposit and meter fees apply today, since posted copies of the ordinance and the fee page differ. Ask how the old septic tank must be abandoned and whether the Town or the county wants proof that it was pumped and filled or removed. Ask your plumber for a written quote for the building sewer and a certified pumper for the tank abandonment.

06A short checklist

Confirm the county on your tax bill. Find the Environmental Health office for that county in the table on this page. Ask what kind of permit or evaluation your job needs and what documents the office requires. Ask whether a soil report is required and whether one is already on file. Get written quotes for the private work, including pumping, soil reports and repair labor. Make sure the contractor you hire is certified by the Georgia Department of Public Health, using the state's certification lists. Keep the permit, the inspection result and every receipt together. If anything is unclear, ask the office to confirm in writing by email. When the work is finished, file the paperwork where the next owner of the house will find it, since a buyer's inspector or lender may ask for it years from now.

07Your side of the line

The Town's ordinance says the Town runs a service line from its distribution line to the property line where its line runs adjacent to the property, and may make connections to properties not adjacent to its lines on payment of reasonable extension costs. Everything on the house side, the building sewer from the house to the Town's line, is private work done by a licensed plumber, along with abandoning the old tank.

Monthly sewer charges then follow water use; see the rates page. For a full comparison with keeping or repairing a septic system, see sewer versus septic. The Free Quote Request on this page can connect you with an independent provider for pumping and abandoning the old tank.