A town where the water bill just changed
On June 15, 2026, the Dawsonville City Council held the second reading of Ordinance No. 02-2026, an ordinance amending Section 2-110 of the City Code to set new rates for water and sewer service. The approved minutes of that meeting record a motion to approve the ordinance as presented, seconded and carried unanimously, and the signed ordinance is attached to the minutes as Exhibit B. It took effect on July 1, 2026. The council approved those minutes at its July 20 meeting.
The new rates are the second phase of a water and wastewater rate study. According to the executive summary in the June 15 agenda packet, the first phase took effect on September 1, 2024; the ordinance itself says the council will consider a third phase at a future time. For a homeowner, that means two things. First, the rates on this site are the ones in force today, backed by the City's own adoption record. Second, they are unlikely to be the last change, so it is worth checking the City's utilities page before relying on them for a big decision.
Every figure on this site links to the document it came from. Where we have done arithmetic, such as working out a typical bill, the table says so.
What a month of water and sewer costs inside the city
Dawsonville prices residential water and sewer in tiers. The first 1,500 gallons each month carry a minimum, or base, charge. Usage above that is billed per thousand gallons, and the rate per thousand rises at 5,000 gallons and again at 10,000 gallons. Customers outside the city limits pay higher rates in every tier. Sewer costs more than water at every step, which matters when a leak runs for weeks: each leaked gallon that passes the meter is billed for both.
The tables below copy the residential rates from the adopted ordinance. Our rates article adds the commercial tiers and explains how to read a bill, and the leak cost article works through what a running toilet or a dripping irrigation line adds.
| Monthly usage | Inside city limits | Outside city limits |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1,500 gallons, minimum (base charge) | $29.74 | $43.90 |
| 1,501 to 5,000, per 1,000 gallons | $7.09 | $9.91 |
| 5,001 to 10,000, per 1,000 gallons | $7.46 | $10.63 |
| Over 10,000, per 1,000 gallons | $7.79 | $11.33 |
Know the adopted rates and the permit rules, then let an independent local plumber price the work.
Call (706) 807-8059Sewer, tier by tier
The sewer schedule follows the same tier breaks. A household inside the city that uses 5,000 gallons in a month pays the sewer minimum for the first 1,500 gallons and the first-tier rate for the next 3,500. The worked examples below show the result, along with what a modest leak adds.
| Monthly usage | Inside city limits | Outside city limits |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1,500 gallons, minimum (base charge) | $45.06 | $67.56 |
| 1,501 to 5,000, per 1,000 gallons | $12.62 | $15.31 |
| 5,001 to 10,000, per 1,000 gallons | $14.42 | $17.11 |
| Over 10,000, per 1,000 gallons | $16.22 | $18.93 |
Two examples, worked out
We applied the adopted rates to two months: an ordinary 5,000-gallon month, and the same month with a leak of 100 gallons a day running for thirty days, which is roughly what a toilet with a worn flapper can waste. The leak pushes 3,000 more gallons through the meter and into the 5,001-to-10,000 tier, and the sewer side of that increase is about twice the water side. These are our calculations from the City's published rates, not a bill; garbage service, taxes and other charges are not included.
| Month | Water | Sewer |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 gallons | $54.56 | $89.23 |
| 8,000 gallons (5,000 plus a 100-gallon-a-day leak for 30 days) | $76.94 | $132.49 |
| Added cost of that leak | $22.38 | $43.26 |
Who issues plumbing permits: the City or the County?
It depends on where the property is. The City of Dawsonville's Planning and Zoning Department handles building inspections and processes permits for parcels inside the city limits. Its applications page is explicit that its forms are for parcels inside the city and that properties outside the city limits should use the County. It adds a note worth remembering: the GA 400 corridor is in the County, not the City.
Outside the city, Dawson County Community Development issues permits. The County's building permits page says a plumbing permit is required to install, alter, reconstruct or repair any plumbing system, gas system or lawn sprinkler supply, and for a water heater replacement. Its fee schedule, effective August 1, 2026, sets the residential trade permit fee. See the City permit article and the County permit article.
| Fee type | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MEP (trade) permit, residential | $50.00 plus $10.00 for each additional 1,000 sq ft over 1,000 sq ft | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
| Administrative fee (in addition to a residential building permit) | $50.00 | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
| Residential additions, alterations or repairs | $0.33 per sq ft ($50.00 minimum) | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
| 1st re-inspection | $100.00 | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
| Additional re-inspections | $50.00 | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
| Construction before permit issuance | Double permit fees | Dawson County fee schedule eff. 8/1/26 |
Septic, wells and Environmental Health
Much of Dawson County beyond the city's sewer lines is on septic. On-site sewage systems are permitted and inspected by the Dawson County Environmental Health office, part of District 2 Public Health, which also evaluates well water. District 2 says new systems must be permitted and inspected before use, that site reviews are done before permitting, and that not every lot is suitable for on-site sewage management. The County directs septic questions to Environmental Health. Our septic article and well water article cover what to expect.
Water outside the city
Unincorporated Dawson County is largely served by the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority, a separate utility. The County's building permits page lists Etowah Water as the contact for projects on public water and sewer. Its rate structure is different from the City's, and our Etowah article reproduces the rate sheet filed with the state rate survey.
Drought and outdoor watering
The City's utilities page notes that Georgia EPD issued a Level 1 Drought Response declaration on April 27, 2026. Outside of drought declarations, Georgia's non-drought schedule already limits outdoor watering to certain hours. Our watering rules article explains what each means for a lawn, a garden and an irrigation system, and why checking the current EPD level matters.
How Dawsonville's growth shapes plumbing work
Dawsonville has grown from a small county seat into a town with new subdivisions on every side, while much of Dawson County remains rural, wooded and hilly. That mix produces two very different kinds of plumbing work. In the newer neighborhoods, the questions are about connections, inspections and keeping an irrigation system from running up a tiered bill. In older homes and on rural lots, they are about galvanized pipe, wells, septic systems and pipes in crawl spaces that were never meant to see a hard freeze.
The agencies involved differ as well. A house inside the city deals with the City for water, sewer, permits and inspections. A house a mile away may deal with Dawson County for permits, the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority for water, and Environmental Health for septic. Before calling anyone, it helps to know which of those applies to your address. The articles here are organized so you can find that out quickly and then read only what applies.
If you are new to the area, start with the rates article if your bill comes from the City, or the Etowah article if it does not, and then the permit article for your side of the city line.
A note on how we handle changing rules
Local rates and fees change, sometimes several times in a few years. Dawsonville's own rate study is phased, and Dawson County's fee schedule changed on August 1, 2026. We cite a rate as current only when the issuing body's own records show it was adopted and in effect. For the City's water and sewer rates, that record is the approved minutes of the June 15, 2026 council meeting with the signed ordinance attached. Proposals that have not been adopted are described as proposals, not as rates.
When you need a number for a decision that matters, such as a rental budget or a new home's utility costs, check the linked source and ask the office directly. The issuing office's current document always wins over anything here.
What this site does not cover
This is a guide to the public side of plumbing in Dawsonville: the adopted utility rates, the permit offices, the inspections, and the health department's role in septic and wells. It does not publish plumber prices, because those depend on the job, the house and the materials, and any number we printed would be out of date or misleading. Instead, the pages explain what a fair quote should include, so you can compare the prices you are given.
It also does not replace the offices themselves. The City's Planning and Zoning staff, Dawson County Community Development, the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority and Dawson County Environmental Health answer questions about specific parcels every day. When the answer depends on your lot, call or email them, and keep a note of what they told you and when.
Finally, the rates here are residential and commercial charges from the City's adopted ordinance and from the state rate survey. Garbage service, taxes, deposits and connection fees are separate charges that appear on bills or at move-in, and they are not included in our examples.
When something breaks
A burst pipe, a failed water heater or sewage at a floor drain calls for the same first step: stop the water. The City lists an after-hours emergency line for problems on its water and sewer system; problems on the house side of the meter are the owner's to fix. The emergency article walks through the first hour.
Before hiring anyone, check the Georgia license. The Georgia Secretary of State's Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers explains the plumbing license classes, and a quick lookup tells you whether a plumber's license is current. The hiring article covers the rest.
About the Free Quote Request
The short form on every page asks what needs fixing, the property ZIP code, your name and a phone number. Independent plumbers who work in Dawson County may follow up. Sending it is free and does not commit you to anything.
Sources for this article: City of Dawsonville: Approved minutes, City Council meeting of June 15, 2026, with adopted Ordinance No. 02-2026 (Exhibit B) (PDF); City of Dawsonville: June 15, 2026 City Council agenda packet, executive summary for Ordinance No. 02-2026 (PDF); City of Dawsonville: Utilities; City of Dawsonville: Planning and Zoning; City of Dawsonville: Applications and Forms (inside city limits); Dawson County, GA: Building Permits; Dawson County, GA: Community Development Fee Schedule, effective August 1, 2026 (PDF); District 2 Public Health: Environmental Health, On-Site Sewage Management; Georgia Secretary of State: Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ. Checked 2026-10-29.
Describe the problem once. Independent plumbers who work in Dawson County can follow up.
Call (706) 807-8059In brief
Did Dawsonville raise water and sewer rates in 2026?
Yes. Ordinance No. 02-2026 was adopted on June 15, 2026, according to the City's approved minutes, and took effect July 1, 2026.
What is the inside-city residential water minimum?
$29.74 for the first 1,500 gallons each month; sewer is $45.06.
Who issues plumbing permits in Dawsonville?
The City of Dawsonville for parcels inside city limits; Dawson County for parcels outside, including the GA 400 corridor.
Who permits septic systems?
Dawson County Environmental Health, part of District 2 Public Health.