Rex is an unincorporated community in eastern Clayton County, served by Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) for sewer, so a sewer line replacement in Rex means new pipe for the private lateral from your home to CCWA's sewer. With no city government, Clayton County issues the plumbing permit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Rex.

Who handles the sewer in Rex?
CCWA. It provides water, sewer and stormwater service throughout Clayton County, including unincorporated communities such as Rex, and its 770-960-5200 line takes both customer service and after-hours sewer backups. Call it if wastewater is coming up in the street or several homes are affected. CCWA's published split, main to meter, describes the water service line. For your sewer lateral, ask CCWA where its responsibility ends before you pay for work close to the street.
How old is the pipe under a Rex home?
Mostly not very old. Rex, historically also called Hollingsworth, centers on the National Register-listed Rex Mill and Rex Village, but most homes around it are newer: the median home dates to 1995 and about 19.9% predate 1980, according to ACS 2019-2023 estimates. Newer plastic laterals fail when backfill settles and leaves a belly, when a joint is pushed apart during construction, or when later digging cracks the pipe. Older homes near the historic village are where clay or cast iron is likelier, and where full replacement comes up most. Lots near Cotton Indian Creek may sit low relative to the sewer, which affects grade and is worth mentioning to the plumber.
Who issues the permit?
Because Rex is unincorporated, Clayton County Community Development's building permit section is expected to handle it. The county issues building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits for residential repairs and remodels from its office on South McDonough Street in Jonesboro, (770) 477-3569. The plumber normally files and books the inspection while the new pipe is still exposed.
One local note
Rex was incorporated as a town in 1912 and its charter was repealed in 1922, so there's no city office to call. Keep the county permit record and the camera footage of the new line together; they're the only documentation of the work, and a future buyer or plumber will want both. If the new line runs a different route than the old one, ask the plumber to sketch it, so nobody digs into it later while setting fence posts or irrigation. A cleanout near the foundation also helps.
Sewer Line Replacement questions in Rex
My mailing address names this city, but I live outside its limits. What changes?
Who issues the permit for replacing a sewer line here?
Why would a fairly new house need its sewer line replaced?
Why does the plumber want a camera inspection before quoting?
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