Johns Creek doesn't run its own sewer; Fulton County Public Works does, and the county makes homeowners responsible for the lateral from the house to the property line. Most homes here date from the 1980s and 1990s, an age when joints, roots and settling start to show. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Johns Creek.
Is the sewer line really my responsibility in Johns Creek?
Up to the property line, yes. Fulton County, which provides sewer service across north Fulton including Johns Creek, puts the lateral from the home to the property line on the owner. The county's flyer adds that this applies even when the blockage is located in the public right-of-way. Past that point, the county's mains are its own. When a problem might be on the county side, or when several houses on a street back up together, Fulton County's North Fulton sewer line is 404-612-3061.
Why would a sewer line fail in a 1990s subdivision?
Johns Creek's housing is young by metro standards: the median home dates to about 1995, and only around 4% were built before 1980. But roughly two-thirds were built between 1980 and 1999, which puts many laterals at 25 to 45 years old. Plastic pipe from that era doesn't rust, yet it can sag where backfill settled, crack under a driveway, or separate at a joint. Roots from trees planted when the subdivision was new are now big enough to find those openings. Construction damage from later pools, fences or irrigation lines is another common cause.
Signs to watch for include toilets that gurgle when the washer drains, water appearing in the lowest shower, and clogs that keep coming back after they've been cleared.
Do I need a permit to repair the sewer line?
Johns Creek requires a Trade Permit for any plumbing system work, applied for through the city's online Customer Self-Service portal. The plumber handling the repair normally takes care of it, and the permit means an inspector checks the finished work before it is buried. If a quote leaves the permit out, ask why.
A local note
Fulton County's Tom Lowe Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant is located in Johns Creek, but that plant treats drinking water; it has nothing to do with your sewer lateral. For backups, the questions are simpler: where is the blockage, what is the pipe made of, and is the damage on your side of the property line. A camera inspection answers all three.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Johns Creek
Can the sewer line under a fairly new house still fail?
Which part of the sewer pipe is mine to fix, and which belongs to the utility?
Does sewer line work need a permit here?
Where is my sewer cleanout, and what if I can't find one?
More plumbing services in Johns Creek
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