Septic permits & records
Putnam County Environmental Health (North Central Health District)
- Address
- 117 Putnam Drive, Suite C, P.O. Box 3776, Eatonton, GA 31024
- Phone
- (706) 485-8591
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Putnam County · Septic & site work
Septic systems, drain fields and excavation in Putnam County, Georgia, the county that holds most of Lake Sinclair and part of Lake Oconee.
Eatonton is the county seat. Septic permits and records: Putnam County Environmental Health (North Central Health District), part of North Central Health District - Environmental Health.
- Lake Oconee & Lake Sinclair
- Residential & commercial
- 10% off: military & first responders
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Who permits septic systems in Putnam County, GA, and which homes are on sewer?
Putnam County Environmental Health, on Putnam Drive in Eatonton, permits every septic install and repair. EPWSA sewers Eatonton, and Piedmont Water runs low-pressure sewer at Great Waters, Cuscowilla and along the Highway 44 corridor. Most other lots on Lake Sinclair, Lake Oconee and the county roads between them depend on a septic tank and drain field.↗↗↗
Reviewed by A Class Septic Services · Last updated
Local facts
Putnam County septic and site-work facts
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Septic permit office | 117 Putnam Drive, Suite C, Eatonton, run by the North Central Health District; (706) 485-8591; weekdays 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | North Central Health District: Putnam County Environmental Health Department |
| Second published EH number | (706) 484-2914 on Georgia DPH's statewide list | Georgia DPH: Environmental Health County Phone Numbers |
| Lake Sinclair | Most of its 15,330 acres and roughly 417 shoreline miles fall inside Putnam | Wikipedia: Lake Sinclair |
| Seasonal and mobile homes | 2,498 of 13,505 housing units are seasonal or recreational; 3,499 are mobile homes (ACS 2020-2024) | Census Reporter: Putnam County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year) |
| EPWSA sewer tap, 4-inch | $2,772 tap + $1,810 development charge = $4,582 (May 2025) | EPWSA Schedule of Rates, Fees, and Penalties (5.16.25, corrected) |
| Soils rated for septic fields (Baldwin-Jones-Putnam survey) | About 381,500 acres very limited and 245,600 acres somewhat limited | USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), survey area GA604 Baldwin, Jones, and Putnam Counties |
| Georgia Power lake permits | 125 Wallace Dam Road, Eatonton; 706-484-7500, by appointment | Georgia Power Lakes: Shoreline Management |
The Putnam County story
The county between the dams
Putnam fronts both of Georgia Power's east Georgia lakes. Lake Oconee runs along its northeast side, from Cuscowilla and Great Waters off Highway 44 down to Lawrence Shoals Park and Wallace Dam. Lake Sinclair fills the south end, its Little River, Crooked Creek and Rooty Creek arms reaching toward Eatonton. The 2022 comprehensive plan calls those shorelines the county's population hubs outside the seat, with some of its highest property values.↗↗↗
That money sits mostly on septic. EPWSA's two small plants serve the city, and the plan notes growth in places EPWSA does not reach. On the lake roads it is a tank, a field and whatever the slope allows.↗↗
Our work here usually starts before the septic does: a driveway that will not wash into the cove, clearing that matches what Georgia Power approved, and a pad graded so roof water stays off the field.
Sewer or septic?
Sewer, low-pressure sewer or septic: sorting out a Putnam address
Putnam has three setups. Inside Eatonton, EPWSA owns the gravity sewer and charges a published tap and development fee to connect. At Great Waters, Cuscowilla and along the Highway 44 corridor, Piedmont Water Company runs mostly low-pressure systems, where every house has its own grinder pump that pushes wastewater into the main; Piedmont says that pump belongs to the homeowner.↗↗↗
Even there, check the lot: a recent Great Waters listing on Reynolds Drive sold on a septic tank.↗↗
How to tell which one you have
- An EPWSA bill with a sewer line item means city sewer.
- Two or more round lids in the yard and no sewer charge on any bill means a septic tank.
Permits · Putnam County Environmental Health, North Central Health District
How a septic permit moves through Putnam County
No Putnam septic fee schedule is posted, so ask for current fees. On a lake lot, Georgia Power reviews second and wants the county's septic approval in hand.
- 01
Apply at 117 Putnam Drive, Suite C, for a construction permit (new system) or a repair permit.↗
- 02
A private well is permitted first; its fee covers a site evaluation to place it.↗
- 03
No part of a system goes in before the construction permit is issued, and the permit lapses after 12 months.↗
- 04
On a Georgia Power lake lot, the county-approved site plan and septic permit go to Georgia Power with the building permit.↗
- 05
Nothing is backfilled until the county's final inspection and written approval; grading over the field later can void it.↗
Georgia rule Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1-.07(3)
“No absorption field shall be constructed less than 50 feet from the normal water level of any impoundment, tributary, stream”
More about Putnam County
Lake rules that shape a Putnam septic layout
On the Sinclair side, Georgia Power says the septic system and its repair area must fit on the leased lot off the project boundary; if they cannot, the house changes. Its new-construction setback reads 75 feet in the Sinclair dwellings sheet and 50 feet in the combined Bartletts Ferry, Jackson and Sinclair guidelines, so confirm with the Wallace Dam Road office.↗↗
On the Oconee side, the 25-foot vegetated buffer is the excavator's line: no grubbing or reshaping there without Georgia Power's written approval, and drain pipes must stop at the boundary and spill into a swale, French drain or dry creek bed.↗
The county has its own lake setback. The Eatonton Messenger reported in 2024 that it had been cut from 100 to 65 feet; confirm with Putnam Planning and Development.↗↗
- State rule: septic tanks stay at least 25 feet from a lake and 50 feet from a well.↗
- Absorption fields stay 50 feet from the normal water level and 100 feet from wells.↗
- Georgia Power's Sinclair rule: no part of the septic system or its repair area on the project boundary.↗
- Georgia Power's Oconee rule: no mechanical clearing or regrading in the 25-foot buffer without its written approval.↗
On the Sinclair side, Georgia Power says the septic system and its repair area must fit on the leased lot off the project boundary; if they cannot, the house changes.
Soil & terrain
Davidson red clay, Helena subsoil and a lot of slope
Putnam shares a soil survey with Baldwin and Jones, and its dominant series is Davidson: a deep, dark red subsoil that runs 40 to 75 percent clay. It drains well but takes water slowly, so trenches run long.↗
At the county's center NRCS maps Helena sandy loam, which it rates very limited for septic fields. Wilkes soils on 10 to 25 percent slopes add nearly 47,000 acres to the survey, and that kind of grade is where pump tanks, drip lines and contour-following trenches earn their keep.↗
All of Putnam drains to the Upper Oconee, and 16 of its 361 square miles are water. National forest and wildlife management land cover close to a quarter of the county.↗↗
Median year homes were built
1992
Typical house here is about 34 years old — and so is its original sewer or septic line.
ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25035 · Census Reporter: Putnam County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
Housing era
A 1992 median house, and thousands of weekend homes
Half of Putnam's housing went up after 1992, so 30-year-old Sinclair cabins on original tanks sit near newer Oconee homes on pump and drip systems. Nearly one unit in five is seasonal.↗
A cabin that gained bedrooms without a bigger field often needs a new field in a new spot, held to today's lake and well setbacks.
Services here
What we build and repair in Putnam County
Septic first, then the dirt work around it.
- 01Septic System InstallationNew lake houses and rural homes outside EPWSA's lines.Septic System Installation details
- 02Septic System RepairAging Sinclair cabin systems, broken baffles and crushed lines.Septic System Repair details
- 03Drain Field Installation & RepairDavidson clay and steep slopes set where a field can go.Drain Field Installation & Repair details
- 04Septic Pump SystemsThe usable soil is often uphill by the road.Septic Pump Systems details
- 05Drip Septic SystemsTight Oconee lots where trenches will not fit the setbacks.Drip Septic Systems details
- 06Sewer Line Builds, Taps & RebuildsEatonton taps on EPWSA mains.Sewer Line Builds, Taps & Rebuilds details
- 07Erosion Control & Land DryingKeeping red clay out of the cove.Erosion Control & Land Drying details
- 08Land & Lot ClearingClearing to the approved footprint and no farther.Land & Lot Clearing details
- 09Grading & Driveway PreparationSteep drives that hold in a summer storm.Grading & Driveway Preparation details
Also available:Excavation ServicesAerobic Septic SystemsFrench Drain InstallationWaterlines, Distribution Systems & MainsStorm Shelters & Safe Rooms
Towns we serve
Eatonton, the lake communities and the rest of Putnam
Eatonton is the county's only incorporated town; most of the work is on the lake roads around it.
- EatontonEPWSA sewer in town, septic past the city edge.Eatonton septic & sewer
- Great Waters at Reynolds Lake OconeeNicklaus-course community off Highway 44; lots split between Piedmont sewer and septic.Great Waters at Reynolds Lake Oconee septic & sewer
- CuscowillaCoore-Crenshaw golf on Cuscowilla Drive; on Piedmont's list, yet newer lakefront lots sell septic-required.Cuscowilla septic & sewer
- Harmony Road on Lake OconeeRiverbend Estates and Phoenix Lake lots, on septic.Harmony Road on Lake Oconee septic & sewer
- Lake Oconee Parkway (Highway 44)Piedmont's sewer corridor, connection lot by lot.Lake Oconee Parkway (Highway 44) septic & sewer
- Twin Bridges Road, Lake SinclairLakeside at Lake Sinclair and Dennis Station lease lots, on septic.Twin Bridges Road, Lake Sinclair septic & sewer
- Little River and Highway 441Sinclair's Little River arm, septic subdivisions.Little River and Highway 441 septic & sewer
Also in the county
- Crooked Creek · Census-designated place on Lake Sinclair.
- Oconee Springs · Sinclair park area off S. Spring Road.
- Rockville, Willard, Kinderhook and Dennis Station · Unincorporated communities toward the Sinclair arms.
- Lawrence Shoals and Wallace Dam Road · Georgia Power's Oconee park and the lake resources office.
Who to call at the county
Offices that sign off on Putnam septic and lake-lot work
- Eatonton-Putnam Water & Sewer Authority Water and sewer for Eatonton; Eastside and Westside treatment plants663 Godfrey Road; (706) 485-5252.↗
- Piedmont Water Company Low-pressure sewer at Great Waters, Cuscowilla and the Highway 44 corridor; lake community water↗
- Putnam County Planning and Development Building and land permits for the county and the City of Eatonton117 Putnam Drive, Suite B.↗
- Georgia Power Lake Resources (East Georgia Lakes) Shoreline, clearing and lease-lot reviews on Oconee and Sinclair125 Wallace Dam Road NE, Eatonton.↗
Nearby areas
Counties that border Putnam
- Greene County septic & sewerAcross Lake Oconee: Reynolds, Harbor Club and the 75-foot lot rule.
- Morgan County septic & sewerNorth on US 441 toward Madison.
- Baldwin County septic & sewerSoutheast across Lake Sinclair to Milledgeville.
- Hancock County septic & sewerEast past Wallace Dam toward Sparta.
- Jasper County septic & sewerWest on Highway 16 toward Monticello.
- Jones County septic & sewerSouthwest toward Gray and the Macon side.
FAQ
Putnam County septic questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Where do I get a septic permit in Putnam County, Georgia?
At Putnam County Environmental Health, 117 Putnam Drive, Suite C, in Eatonton, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The district lists (706) 485-8591; the state's phone list shows (706) 484-2914.
Source: North Central Health District: Putnam County Environmental Health Department
Is Lake Sinclair in Putnam County on sewer or septic?
Nearly all of it is septic. EPA records list dozens of small subdivision water systems on the Putnam shore and no public sewer for them. Expect a tank and drain field unless the seller can show a sewer bill.
Source: EPA Envirofacts SDWIS: public water systems in Putnam County (PWSID GA237xxxx)
Are Great Waters and Cuscowilla on sewer?
Piedmont Water lists both, plus the Highway 44 corridor in north Putnam, as sewer areas, mostly low-pressure with a grinder pump at each house. Some Great Waters homes still sell on septic, so confirm the lot.
Source: Piedmont Water Company: Wastewater Services (sewer communities list)
How close to Lake Oconee or Lake Sinclair can a drain field go?
State rule keeps the absorption field 50 feet from the lake's normal water level and 100 feet from a well, and the tank 25 feet from the water. House setbacks can push it farther back.
Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-3-1-.07, Absorption Fields (LII)
What does it cost to tie into EPWSA sewer in Eatonton?
EPWSA's May 2025 schedule lists a 4-inch sewer tap at $2,772 plus a $1,810 development charge, $4,582 in all. The trench and pipe from house to tap are the part we build.
Source: EPWSA Schedule of Rates, Fees, and Penalties (5.16.25, corrected)
Does Georgia Power need to see my septic plan on a Putnam lake lot?
On Lake Sinclair, yes. Georgia Power's dwellings sheet asks for a site plan showing the county-approved tank, drain lines and well, plus the septic permit, building permit and, over one acre, a land-disturbing permit, before it reviews a new house.
Source: Georgia Power: Lake Sinclair Dwellings and Additions guidelines
Why is Lake Sinclair water quality tied to Eatonton's sewer plant?
EPWSA's Eastside plant discharges up to 0.55 million gallons a day to Rooty Creek, a Sinclair arm, and its reissued permit added a 0.9 mg/L monthly phosphorus limit to protect the lake. Well-sited septic fields on the shore matter for the same reason.
Source: Georgia EPD permit package: Eatonton-Putnam WSA Eastside WPCP, NPDES GA0032271 (2023)
Guides
Read these before you build on a Putnam lake lot
Georgia Power shoreline rules for septic and site workPutnam is the one county with both lakes' rule books in play.Read the guide 
Choosing a septic system for a Georgia lake houseWeekend loads, slopes and setbacks on Sinclair and Oconee lots.Read the guide 
Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair septic guidePutnam's permit path next to the other six counties.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
- 1North Central Health District: Putnam County Environmental Health Department
- 2Piedmont Water Company: Wastewater Services (sewer communities list)
- 3Joint Comprehensive Plan, Putnam County and the City of Eatonton (adopted October 2022), GA DCA
- 4Georgia DPH: Environmental Health County Phone Numbers
- 5Wikipedia: Lake Sinclair
- 6Census Reporter: Putnam County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 7EPWSA Schedule of Rates, Fees, and Penalties (5.16.25, corrected)
- 8USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), survey area GA604 Baldwin, Jones, and Putnam Counties
- 9Georgia Power Lakes: Shoreline Management
- 10Georgia Power: East Georgia Lakes (Oconee/Sinclair)
- 11EPA Envirofacts SDWIS: public water systems in Putnam County (PWSID GA237xxxx)
- 12Piedmont Water Company: Grinder Pumps
- 13MLS listing: 229 Reynolds Dr, Eatonton GA 31024 (RP - Great Waters)
- 14Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-3-1 (On-Site Sewage Management Systems)
- 15Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-3-1-.03, General Requirements (LII)
- 16Georgia Power: Lake Sinclair Dwellings and Additions guidelines
- 17Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-3-1-.07, Absorption Fields (LII)
- 18Georgia Power: Bartletts Ferry, Jackson, & Sinclair Shoreline Guidelines (PDF)
- 19Georgia Power: Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines
- 20Eatonton Messenger, July 3, 2024: Putnam BOC changes to setback ordinance
- 21Putnam County, GA: Planning and Development
- 22Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-3-1-.05, Septic Tanks (LII)
- 23USDA NRCS Official Series Description: Davidson series
- 24Wikipedia: Putnam County, Georgia
- 25Census Reporter: Putnam County, GA (ACS 2024 5-year)
- 26Eatonton-Putnam Water & Sewer Authority (official site)
- 27Georgia EPD permit package: Eatonton-Putnam WSA Eastside WPCP, NPDES GA0032271 (2023)
Ready when you are
Building on a Sinclair cove or an Oconee point? Start with the ground.
Call about your Putnam County lot, from an Eatonton sewer tap to a lake house that needs clearing, a driveway and a pump system. Military and first responders get 10% off.
(678) 863-5620- Lake Oconee & Lake Sinclair
- Residential & commercial
- 10% off for military & first responders
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or call (678) 863-5620