Greensboro, GA · Greene County
Septic installation, septic repair and lot work in Greensboro and Greene County, from the city sewer district to the Lake Oconee communities along Lake Oconee Parkway.
- Lake Oconee & Lake Sinclair
- Residential & commercial
- 10% off: military & first responders
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or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Does Greensboro, GA use city sewer or septic?
Downtown Greensboro is on city sewer, and the city counts sewer as available within 500 feet. Out Lake Oconee Parkway it changes lot by lot: Piedmont Water sewers parts of Reynolds, while many Reynolds and Harbor Club homesites need septic permitted by Greene County Environmental Health. A Class Septic installs, repairs and clears for both.↗↗↗
Reviewed by A Class Septic Services · Last updated
The Greensboro story
An old county seat with the lake's best addresses
Greensboro became the Greene County seat in 1787, and its center is still Broad Street, where US 278 runs between Madison and Union Point. The city limits reach about four miles down GA 44 to I-20 Exit 130, and past the interstate that stretch of GA 44 is Lake Oconee Parkway, the road that carries most of Lake Oconee's money traffic.↗↗↗
That parkway is why a Greensboro address can mean a downtown bungalow or a lakefront estate. Reynolds Lake Oconee runs its property office from Linger Longer Road; Harbor Club's 1,100 acres and nine miles of shoreline sit off Polo Circle; and Georgia Power's Old Salem and Parks Ferry campgrounds both carry Greensboro addresses.↗↗↗
Septic follows the same split. Even in the gated communities, sewer is not a given: a 1.17-acre homesite in the main section of Reynolds was listed 'Septic Required,' and a 2025 home on Glen Eagle Drive in Harbor Club was sold on a septic tank. Those are high-finish lots with tree-save areas and neighbors who notice tire ruts, and the system has to go in cleanly.↗↗
On the record
- Lake Oconee Village's bank branch sits at 6350 Lake Oconee Parkway with a Greensboro 30642 address, roughly the middle of the lake's commercial strip on GA 44.↗
- Georgia Power's Old Salem Campground (1530 Old Salem Road) and Parks Ferry Campground (1491 Parks Mill Road) are both Greensboro addresses on Lake Oconee.↗
Sewer or septic?
Greensboro's 500-foot sewer line
Greensboro's code is stricter than the state's. It defines public sewer as available to any property within 500 feet, and the city can order an owner with sewer available to connect within 90 days, at the owner's cost. A new major subdivision of five or more lots within 1,500 feet of a tie-in has to connect.↗↗
Every connection needs a city permit and a 'Y' branch, and old building sewers are reused only after they are examined and tested. Where sewer is not available, the code sends the owner to the Greene County Health Department for a septic permit.↗↗
Down the parkway, Piedmont Water lists Reynolds at Lake Oconee and The Landing among its sewer communities, mostly low-pressure systems with a grinder pump at each house. Harbor Club is not on that list, and its listings run mostly to septic.↗↗
How to tell which one you have
- A City of Greensboro sewer charge on the bill means city sewer.
- A Piedmont Water bill and an E/One grinder-pump panel mean low-pressure sewer.
- Neither means a tank and field, permitted by Greene County EH.
Local facts
Greensboro rules most people learn too late
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wellhead protection | No septic tank or drain field within 1,500 ft of a city supply well; no sewer line within 150 ft | Greensboro Code § 117-5: Wellhead protection zones, prohibited uses |
| Subdivision tie-in | Five-plus-lot subdivisions within 1,500 ft of a sewer tie-in must connect | Greensboro Code § 30-89: Sewer use requirements |
| Connection costs | All building-sewer installation and connection costs fall on the owner | Greensboro Code § 30-91: Building sewers and connections |
| Housing age | Median year built 1973; 376 of 1,646 units date to 1939 or earlier | Census Reporter: Greensboro, GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year) |
| Downtown soil | Lloyd gravelly loam, 2-6% slopes; Cecil gravelly sandy loam to the west | USDA NRCS Soil Data Access: GA133 map units at Greensboro sample points |
| Lake Oconee | About 5 miles west of the city; Oconee National Forest 2 miles northwest | Wikipedia: Greensboro, Georgia |
Permits · Greene County Environmental Health (Northeast Health District), 1031 Apalachee Avenue, Greensboro
Greene County's septic path, with its fees
- 01
Call the Environmental Health Manager at 706-453-4471 for a septic letter or perc test; the county building office needs that approval letter with any permit that will use septic.↗
- 02
Check lot size: 0.75 acre on public water or 1.5 acres on a private well, measured without the land within 75 feet of Lake Oconee's high-water line.↗
- 03
If the work is within 200 feet of state waters, over an acre, or inside a common development, add an erosion plan, land disturbance permit and an EPD notice of intent, which starts a 14-day wait.↗
- 04
Install, then hold the trenches open for the county inspection and written approval before backfill.↗
Georgia rule Greene County Board of Health Lot Size Ordinance
“Land within 75 feet of Lake Oconee's high-water line is excluded when computing septic lot minimums.”
More about Greensboro
Clearing a Greene County homesite the right way
Lot clearing on the lake runs into Georgia Power before it runs into the county. No grubbing or regrading is allowed in the 25-foot shoreline buffer or on project land without written approval, trees removed there are replanted one-for-one with natives, and drainage pipe has to stop at the project boundary and spill into a swale or French drain.↗
Away from the water, a single-family lot that disturbs less than an acre and sits more than 200 feet from state waters needs only a stand-alone erosion plan, and Greene issues that land disturbance permit free. Greene is also not on EPD's summer burn-ban list, so brush piles can be burned with a Forestry Commission permit when Putnam and Morgan crews are hauling theirs.↗↗
Lot clearing on the lake runs into Georgia Power before it runs into the county.
Soil & terrain
Lloyd and Cecil ground, rated limited
NRCS rates about 38 percent of Greene County very limited for septic fields and most of the rest somewhat limited. Downtown maps as Lloyd gravelly loam on gentle slopes, with Cecil gravelly sandy loam toward the lake, both red Piedmont clays under a thin top.↗↗
Greensboro also sits near a drainage divide: west of a Woodville to Union Point to White Plains line, the county drains to the Oconee and the lake. The Richland Creek arm, where Piedmont draws water for its Reynolds plant, is part of that western slope.↗↗
Services here
Greensboro jobs we take on
- 01Septic System Installation'Septic Required' homesites in Reynolds and new builds in Harbor Club.Septic System Installation details
- 02Septic System RepairTanks behind Greensboro's older houses, half of them built by 1973.Septic System Repair details
- 03Aerobic Septic SystemsTight golf-course lots where pretreatment shrinks the field.Aerobic Septic Systems details
- 04Septic Pump SystemsLakefront houses below their only usable soil.Septic Pump Systems details
- 05Sewer Line Builds, Taps & RebuildsOwner-paid building sewers and 'Y' connections inside the city.Sewer Line Builds, Taps & Rebuilds details
- 06Land & Lot ClearingWooded parkway homesites, cleared around the shoreline buffer.Land & Lot Clearing details
- 07Excavation ServicesBasements and walkouts on sloping lake lots.Excavation Services details
Nearby areas
Around Greensboro and the east shore
- Reynolds Lake Oconee septic & sewerSeptic homesites and grinder-pump streets inside the gates.
- Harbor Club septic & sewerMostly septic golf and lake lots.
- The Landing at Reynolds septic & sewerPiedmont sewer, grinder pumps and laterals.
- Greene County shoreline septic & sewerLake lots outside the gates.
- Lake Oconee Parkway septic & sewerThe GA 44 corridor.
- Union Point septic & sewerSeven miles east on US 278.
- Madison septic & sewerNineteen miles west on US 278.
- Eatonton septic & sewerTwenty-two miles southwest on GA 44.
FAQ
Greensboro septic questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620How much is a septic permit in Greene County?
Under the fee sheet effective August 1, 2024, a new residential septic tank inspection is $350 ($400 for five or more bedrooms), a site plan review is $75 and a residential repair permit is $200.
How big does a Lake Oconee lot in Greene County have to be for septic?
At least 0.75 acre on public water or 1.5 acres on a private well, and the strip within 75 feet of the lake's high-water line does not count toward that minimum.
Source: Greene County Board of Health: Lot Size Ordinance (effective Sept 7, 2018)
Can I keep my septic tank if Greensboro sewer is nearby?
Maybe not. The city counts sewer as available within 500 feet and can require connection within 90 days of notice, with the owner paying for the building sewer.
Is Reynolds Lake Oconee on sewer or septic?
Both. Piedmont Water lists Reynolds among its sewer communities, but some homesites inside the gates are sold 'Septic Required,' so check each lot.
Source: MLS listing: 1261 Cedar Ridge Dr, Greensboro GA (Reynolds Lake Oconee)
When is the Greene County Environmental Health office open?
Specialists are in the office at 1031 Apalachee Avenue from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on weekdays; call 706-453-4471 outside those hours.
Source: Northeast Health District: Greene County locations (Environmental Health)
Is Piedmont Water expanding sewer capacity near Greensboro?
Yes. Piedmont is spending $22 million to expand its Carey Station Water Reclamation Facility from 0.5 to 1.5 million gallons a day for growth in its Greene County communities.
Source: Piedmont Water: Carey Station Water Reclamation Facility expansion (Jan 2026)
Do I need a permit to clear a lot near the lake?
Inside 200 feet of state waters, over an acre, or in a common development, Greene requires an erosion plan, a land disturbance permit and an EPD notice with a 14-day wait.
Source: Greene County, GA: Erosion Control Permit Requirements
Guides
Guides for Greene County owners
A septic system for a Georgia lake houseWhat a Reynolds or Harbor Club homesite needs before the house plans are final.Read the guide 
Erosion control on a lake lotGreene's 200-foot state-waters trigger explained.Read the guide 
The Georgia septic permit processHow the septic letter fits with the building permit.Read the guide
Sources
Where these facts come from
Rules, costs and local facts on this page link to the agency, code or publisher that states them. Cost figures are third-party market ranges, not our prices — estimates are free.
Reviewed by A Class Septic Services · Last updated
- 1Greensboro Code § 30-88: Definitions (sewer availability)
- 2Piedmont Water Company: Wastewater Services
- 3Northeast Health District: Greene County locations (Environmental Health)
- 4Wikipedia: Greensboro, Georgia
- 5Wikipedia: Georgia State Route 44
- 6United Community Bank: Lake Oconee Village branch (6350 Lake Oconee Pkwy, Greensboro)
- 7Reynolds Lake Oconee (official site)
- 8Harbor Club on Lake Oconee (official site)
- 9Georgia Power: East Georgia Lakes (Oconee/Sinclair)
- 10MLS listing: 1261 Cedar Ridge Dr, Greensboro GA (Reynolds Lake Oconee)
- 11MLS listing: 1270 Glen Eagle Dr, Greensboro GA (Harbor Club)
- 12Greensboro Code § 30-89: Sewer use requirements
- 13Greensboro Code § 30-91: Building sewers and connections
- 14Greensboro Code § 30-90: Private sewage disposal
- 15Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 511-3-1-.03, General Requirements for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (LII)
- 16Greensboro Code § 117-5: Wellhead protection zones, prohibited uses
- 17Census Reporter: Greensboro, GA (ACS 2020-2024 5-year)
- 18USDA NRCS Soil Data Access: GA133 map units at Greensboro sample points
- 19Greene County, GA: Septic Tank Permits
- 20Greene County Board of Health: Lot Size Ordinance (effective Sept 7, 2018)
- 21Greene County, GA: Erosion Control Permit Requirements
- 22Greene County EH Fees (effective August 1, 2024)
- 23Georgia Power: Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines
- 24GA EPD press release, Apr. 29, 2026: Annual Ban on Open Burning
- 25USDA NRCS Soil Data Access: ENG Septic Tank Absorption Fields, survey area GA133 (Greene County)
- 26Wikipedia: Greene County, Georgia
- 27Piedmont Water Company: Water Treatment Plant
- 28Piedmont Water: Carey Station Water Reclamation Facility expansion (Jan 2026)
Ready when you are
Homesite off Lake Oconee Parkway? Clear it, grade it, give it a system.
Call A Class Septic Services for Greensboro, Reynolds, Harbor Club and the rest of Greene County. We work around the gate's rules, the buffer and the inspector's schedule.
(678) 863-5620- Lake Oconee & Lake Sinclair
- Residential & commercial
- 10% off for military & first responders
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620