Austell runs its own water system for about 3,300 customers, while many Austell-mailing addresses in unincorporated south Cobb are on Cobb County Water System instead. The city hasn't published where its responsibility for the service line ends, so report anything at the meter to your utility and call a plumber for the private pipe. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Austell.
Austell began as a healing-springs settlement and railroad depot town in south Cobb. The city's water system is bounded roughly by Clay Road, the Douglas County line, Noses Creek and Buttermilk Creek, and it buys wholesale water from the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority. About 41% of homes were built before 1980, with a median of 1993.
First steps
- Shut the main valve at the house if water is surfacing fast.
- Check which utility bills you. City customers can reach the Water Division field office at 770-944-4336; Cobb County Water customers call Cobb.
- Look at the meter and run a check with all water off.
- Don't dig. Austell runs its own gas system, and gas lines often share the yard with the water service. A gas smell means leave first, then call 911 and the Austell Gas System at 770-948-1841 from outside.
- Mark and photograph the wet area.
Symptoms
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Wet ground between the meter and house | Leak on the private service line |
| Rusty cold water in an older home | Corroding galvanized pipe |
| Low pressure throughout | Underground leak or regulator failure |
| Water in the meter box | The utility's side |
| Bill rising with no visible water | Hidden leak |
Cost factors
- Pipe age. Older lines near downtown may need full replacement.
- Route and surface. Driveways, walks and trees.
- Low ground. Austell has a history of flooding along Sweetwater Creek, and saturated soil can complicate both finding and digging a leak.
- Method. Spot repair, trench or bore.
- Permit. Austell requires plumbing permits to install, alter or replace plumbing piping, applied for through the city's online portal.
The city's water quality report links its lead service line inventory through Georgia EPD's portal. When you call this number, you reach a referral service, not a plumbing company, which connects you with an independent local plumber who serves Austell. Lines in the older neighborhoods near the depot and downtown may be galvanized or already patched, while homes in later subdivisions usually have plastic pipe that fails at a fitting or where landscaping or fencing disturbed it. Tell the plumber which utility bills you, where the water is and whether the meter moves with everything off.
Water Line Repair questions in Austell
How do I tell which water system serves my address?
What should I shut off first if the line breaks?
Is a permit needed to repair or replace a water service line here?
How do I find out what my service line is made of?
More plumbing services in Austell
Water Line Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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