Dawsonville's 2026 Water and Sewer Rates, Explained

How we know these rates are in force

Rate changes in Dawsonville are made by ordinance. Ordinance No. 02-2026 had its first reading on June 1, 2026 and its second reading on June 15. The approved minutes of the June 15 meeting record that Councilmember Illg moved to approve the ordinance as presented, Councilmember French seconded, and the vote carried unanimously. The signed ordinance, attested by the City Clerk, is attached to the minutes as Exhibit B and states an effective date of July 1, 2026. The council approved the minutes on July 20, 2026.

We cite the minutes rather than the agenda packet for that reason: a packet shows what was proposed, while approved minutes and a signed ordinance show what was adopted.

Residential water

Water is billed in four tiers. The first 1,500 gallons each month carry a minimum charge whether you use them or not. Above that, each thousand gallons is billed at a rate that steps up at 5,000 and again at 10,000 gallons. Customers outside the city limits pay a higher minimum and higher tier rates.

Residential sewer

Sewer is billed on the same tier breaks, using metered water. It is the larger part of most bills: at every tier, the inside-city sewer rate is well above the water rate. That is why leaks on sewer accounts are expensive, and why outdoor watering through the house meter is worth thinking about.

Commercial and industrial accounts

The ordinance also amends commercial and industrial rates. Inside the city, the commercial water minimum matches the outside-city residential water minimum, and commercial sewer starts from a much higher minimum. Outside-city commercial rates are higher again; the ordinance lists them in full.

Reading your bill

Find the meter readings and the gallons used for the period. Take the first 1,500 gallons at the minimum charge, then apply each tier rate to the gallons that fall in that tier. Do the same for sewer. The worked examples below show the arithmetic for an ordinary month and for one with a leak. Garbage service, which the City also provides, is billed separately and is not part of these rates.

The City offers an online tool for customers to view their water usage; its utilities page explains how to enter the account number. Checking usage there between bills is the fastest way to catch a leak.

How Dawsonville compares

The 2026 Georgia Water and Wastewater Report, produced by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, publishes statewide averages for a 5,000-gallon month. Dawsonville's inside-city bill for the same usage is above both averages, with sewer making most of the difference. Small systems with their own treatment plants often price this way, because the fixed cost of treatment is spread over fewer customers.

What the rate study means for the future

The ordinance's preamble says the council adopted Phase I in August 2024, that this ordinance is Phase II, and that it will consider Phase III at a future time. The executive summary in the June 15 packet says Phase I took effect September 1, 2024. When Phase III comes, it will again be an ordinance with two readings, which gives customers notice. Watch the City's agendas if you are budgeting for a rental or a business.

What changed from the previous rates

The ordinance amends Section 2-110(7) of the City Code, which holds the water and sewer fee schedule, and replaces the rates for residential and commercial water and sewer inside and outside the city. It leaves every other rate in that section unchanged, which means items such as tap fees and other charges in the schedule were not part of this change. The ordinance's preamble ties the new rates to a rate study prepared by the City's engineering firm, and the executive summary in the June 15 packet identifies the study as an updated water and sewer study presented to the council at its May 18, 2026 work session.

Because the ordinance restates the full tier tables, the tables on this page reflect the complete residential and inside-city commercial schedules now in force, not just the parts that moved.

Why tiers matter for your budget

Increasing tiers reward low use and charge more for high use. A small household that stays near the 1,500-gallon minimum pays mostly fixed charges, and its bill changes little from month to month. A larger household or one that irrigates in summer moves through two or three tiers, so its bill rises faster than its usage. If you are budgeting for a rental, estimate the tenant's likely usage and price it tier by tier rather than multiplying a single rate. If a home is mostly empty, such as a second home, expect the minimums to make up most of the bill.

The City's online water usage tool, linked from its utilities page, is the easiest way to see where your household usually falls.

If you are outside the city

Many Dawson County addresses, including much of the GA 400 corridor, are not on City water at all but on the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority. Check the name on your bill. If it is Etowah, see the Etowah article. If it is the City of Dawsonville and you are outside the limits, use the outside-city columns above.

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; GEFA / UGA Carl Vinson Institute: 2026 Georgia Water and Wastewater Report (PDF). Checked 2026-10-29.