Clogged Drains in Covington, GA: One Fixture, the Main Line, or the Septic Tank?

Count the drains

A single slow sink, tub or toilet is almost always a local clog in that fixture's trap or branch. Hair, soap, food and grease are the usual suspects. A plunger or a hand auger often clears it.

Several drains slow at once, especially at the lowest level of the house, means the problem is downstream, in the building drain or the sewer lateral. Gurgling toilets when the washer drains and water rising in a shower when a toilet flushes are the classic signs.

When the lowest drain in the house backs up, stop using water upstairs until the line is clear.

Sewer, septic, and who to tell

City of Covington sewer customers are billed $6 per 1,000 gallons of metered water, with an $18 minimum. NCWSA sewer customers pay a $6.59 base charge and $8.90 per 1,000 gallons above the first 1,000. Many homes outside the city have no sewer bill at all because they are on septic.

On septic, a backup can mean a full tank or a failing drain field rather than a blocked pipe. Mention septic when you call, because pumping a tank and clearing a line may be different jobs.

If a plumber finds the blockage is in a public sewer main rather than your lateral, the utility needs to hear about it.

Cable, jet or camera

Cabling feeds a rotating cutter through the pipe to break up the blockage. It is the standard first step for most clogs. Jetting uses high-pressure water to scour the pipe walls and is better for grease and scale. A camera shows what is in the line: roots, a collapsed or offset section, a belly where water sits.

Ask which method the plumber recommends and why. If a line keeps clogging, a camera inspection usually pays for itself by showing whether the pipe needs repair rather than repeated cleaning.

Ask for the recording. It is useful if you want a second quote on a repair.

Repairs and new sewer service

Replacing a section of sewer line or a full lateral is a bigger job, and permit requirements are set by the office that serves your address. Inside Covington, that is the City's Planning and Development department; its application lists a residential plan review fee of $75.00.

New sewer service carries utility fees. The City of Covington lists a 3/4-inch sewer tap at $3,600.00. NCWSA lists a residential sewer fee of $3,650.00 and a $75.00 sewer tap inspection fee, and notes it does not make sewer taps itself.

The tap fee comparison has both schedules in full.

What not to put down the drain

Cooking grease and fats harden in pipes. Let them cool and put them in the trash. Wipes sold as flushable, paper towels and cotton products do not break down like toilet paper and are a common cause of main line clogs.

On septic, the same items fill the tank faster and can damage the drain field.

Chemical drain cleaners can harm older pipes and make the plumber's work riskier. If you have used one, say so.

When a backup raises the bill

A clog does not run the meter. But a toilet that keeps running after a backup, or a fill valve damaged during cleanup, will. If the next bill jumps, check the meter with everything off.

For City of Covington accounts, a running toilet sends water to the sewer, and the City's leak policy says no sewer adjustment is given for leaked water that went into the city sewer, though the water portion can still be discounted. See the leak adjustment guide.

The Free Quote Request on this page reaches independent plumbers who work across Newton County.

Cleanouts: the plumber's front door

Most houses have one or more cleanouts: capped fittings on the drain line, often just outside the foundation or in the yard, that let a plumber reach the main without pulling a toilet. Find yours before you need it, and keep it clear of mulch and plants.

When the plumber opens the cleanout during a backup, the water level in it tells a lot. Full of water means the blockage is downstream, toward the street or the septic tank; empty means it is upstream, inside the house.

If your house has no accessible cleanout, ask whether adding one makes sense during the repair. It can make the next visit faster.

Rates for the water that goes down the drain

On a City of Covington account, every thousand gallons you use is charged sewer at $6. On NCWSA sewer, it is $8.90 per thousand above the first 1,000, plus a $6.59 base charge. Those charges are why running toilets and dripping faucets cost more than they look: you pay for the water twice.

Roots and older laterals

Tree roots seek out small cracks and joints in older sewer laterals and can fill a pipe over a few seasons. Cabling cuts them back but they regrow. If a camera shows heavy root intrusion, ask about repair options as well as cleaning, and get prices for both.

Sources for this page: City of Covington, GA: Water Rate Information (rates as of November 1, 2025); Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority: FYE 2026 Budget & Financial Plan, retail service rates effective July 1, 2025 (PDF); Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority: Water and Sewer Fees, effective July 1, 2025 (PDF); City of Covington, GA: Water and Sewer Tap Fees; City of Covington, GA Planning & Development: Building Permit Application (rev. 12/26/25, PDF); City of Covington, GA: Leak Policy and Leak Adjustment Request Form (PDF). Checked 2026-10-30.