The Authority will provide water service up to the meter box, set the meter box and meter. The customer will be responsible for extending water service from the meter to the residence or business.

The property owner must provide his/her own cutoff valve. Using the turn off at the meter is not permissible.

Each lot, tract, or parcel of land to be served by the Authority’s water system shall be served by its own individual water meter.

Water meters cannot be moved or transferred from the original lot, tract or parcel of land it was purchased to serve and remains the property of the Authority.

A water meter can be relocated on the same lot, tract or parcel after making application and paying the cost estimate prepared by the Authority’s staff.

All taps over 2-inch are charged at actual cost for time and materials and require a fully-executed Agreement to Pay at the time application for service is made.

Water Unit Rate – There is a minimum charge of $28.00 for volumes of 0 to 2000 gallons of water consumed with a uniform rate of $9.81 per thousand gallons of water consumed above 2000 gallons.

An application for new service must be completed to have service turned on. It would be helpful if you know the former tenant and property owner to enable our staff to locate the property, which you wish to occupy.

You are responsible for making sure all water connections are off at the property. The Authority will not be responsible for damage caused by an open connection and any flooding that might occur when the water is turned on at the meter.

A fee of $81.00 will be charged to initiate new service.

A deposit, based on meter size, is required from all customers in advance. Deposit refunds will be mailed after the final bill is completely processed for closed accounts.

Cutoffs for non-payment within a continuous 24-month period will result in increases to the current deposit established for that customer’s meter size classifications as follows

First Cutoff – increased by 25% of the current rate

Subsequent Cutoffs – An additional 25% to the current deposit for each cutoff.

Any person wishing to discontinue the use of water supplied and by the Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority must give notice in writing to the Authority by completing a Turn Off Water Service form. The customer is responsible for all costs for water service provided prior to the Authority’s receipt of the form.

A Turn Off Water Service Form may be obtained from the Authority’s service office.

A fee of $81.00 will be charged to each customer discontinuing water service. This charge will be added to the final bill.

The due date for payment of water and sewer bills is 20 days from the billing date. A late fee of 10% of the local monthly bill shall be assessed for payments made after 20 days from the billing date. Water service will be disconnected when one month’s bill is 10 days past due or when partial payments are made on accounts over 30 days past due. A $54.00 fee is required each time the account becomes delinquent to the extent the system initiates a cutoff of service. This fee is owed if the payment is not received by 5:00 PM on the Monday prior to the scheduled disconnection.

A fee of $35.00 will be charged on checks or bank drafts returned for any reason, and water service may be discontinued.

A fee of $100.00 per page will be charged for review of plans submitted for approval by the RCWSA. Second or further reviews may be charged this fee as determined by the RCWSA.

Sewer Connection Fee for those subscribing to service will be a minimum of $1879.00 per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU).

An ERU has been determined to be a user that utilizes 4,470 gallons of water and/or wastewater per month.

The appropriate ERU’s and associate connection fee shall be established by the following methods:

1. The average monthly water usage as metered for the establishment or business on the Authority’s water system for the most recent 12-month period.
2. The projected flow from the proposed facility as outlined in the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) most recent basis of design for sewer systems manual.
3. A single-family residential structure will be considered as one ERU.

Any business with a food preparation and/or service component will be required to install a grease interceptor system designed in accordance with current local and state health department regulations and guidelines. Ongoing maintenance and cleaning of these types of systems shall also be required.

The sewer connection fee is established to cover the costs of capacity in the collection and treatment systems, the cost of inspecting the service line and the administrative costs.

The cost of physically connecting the business, establishment or residence to the Authority’s sewer line shall the responsibility of the customer and installed by a licensed plumber or utility contractor.

The service line size and alignment is subject to approval by the Authority, and shall be installed in accordance with the International Plumbing Code. Particular attention is called to the requirements of service line cleanout and their spacing. Particular attention is also called to the requirement that the customer install a backflow prevention device in their discharge line to prevent wastewater backing up into the customer’s residence or place of business. The Authority shall not be responsible or liable for any wastewater backups into the customer’s residence or place of business.

Installation of sewer service lines is subject to inspection and approval by a representative of the Authority.

Sanitary Sewer Service Unit Rate – There is a minimum charge for residential and commercial customers of $28.00 for volumes of 0 to 2000 gallons of wastewater discharged with a uniform rate of $9.01 per 1000 gallons of wastewater discharged above 2000 gallons unless other contractual terms apply. Sewer volume will be charged at 100% of water volume for commercial customers and 85% of water volume for residential customers.