NCWSA Water and Sewer Rates for Newton County, GA Homes

Who NCWSA is

The Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority was established under House Bill 1662 in the 1970 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Its budget document describes it as a public, nonprofit corporation responsible for acquiring and distributing water within its service area, later given powers to build sewage collection and treatment in densely populated areas of the county.

The Authority says it operates on a self-sustaining basis, with no tax revenue from the local governing body, and recovers costs through fees and rates charged to customers. Federal drinking water records list it as serving about 74,364 people.

If your water bill comes from NCWSA, this page applies. If it comes from the City of Covington or a town, see the provider guide.

Single-family water rates

Retail water rates effective July 1, 2025 start with a $13.63 base charge for single-family and multi-family residential service. Usage is billed per 1,000 gallons in four tiers: $3.34 up to 3,000 gallons, $7.54 from 3,001 to 8,000, $9.16 from 8,001 to 15,000, and $10.92 above 15,000.

The jump between the first and second tier is large. A household using 3,000 gallons pays only the bottom rate on its usage, while the next 5,000 gallons cost more than twice as much per thousand.

Commercial service uses a single flat usage rate instead of tiers, with base charges that rise with meter size.

Sewer rates

Single-family sewer service has a base charge of $6.59 and a usage charge of $8.90 per 1,000 gallons for all usage above the first 1,000 gallons. Multi-family residential uses the same figures.

Sewer is charged on metered water, so a month of heavy irrigation or a leak that never reached a drain still raises the sewer line of the bill.

Not every NCWSA water customer is on NCWSA sewer. Many rural homes use septic systems and pay water only.

Account fees worth knowing

The Authority's fee sheet effective July 1, 2025 lists a $50.00 non-refundable service establishment fee for new customers on existing meters, an $8.00 delinquent penalty when payment is late, and a $35.00 penalty and disconnect charge for non-payment.

Restoring service after normal business hours, for emergencies only, costs $150.00 for homeowners and tenants. A meter test is $50.00, a returned check is $37.50, and meter tampering fees start at $300.00.

For new construction, the 3/4-inch water meter fee is $2,951.00 and the residential sewer fee is $3,650.00. See the tap fee comparison.

What a leak costs on these tiers

Because the tiers rise, a leak on an NCWSA account costs more per gallon than the bottom rate suggests. On 4,000 gallons of normal use, a 5,000-gallon leak adds about $83.82 in water and sewer together. A 20,000-gallon leak adds about $370.56.

The calculator runs any combination. NCWSA's leak adjustment rules were not among the documents we checked, so ask the Authority whether a credit is available and what paperwork it needs.

Either way, keep the plumber's invoice showing where the leak was and what was fixed.

Getting help

For water outages, meter problems or questions about your bill, contact NCWSA directly. For a leak on your side of the meter, close your main shut-off and call a plumber.

If you are building or adding a connection, ask NCWSA early about availability and fees. The plumber's quote for the private line comes after.

The Free Quote Request on this page reaches independent plumbers who work across Newton County, including NCWSA service areas.

Reading an NCWSA bill

An NCWSA single-family bill has a fixed water base charge and a fixed sewer base charge, then usage charges. Water usage is split into the tiers your gallons reach; sewer usage starts after the first 1,000 gallons. If your gallons are steady, the bill should be too.

When the bill jumps, compare gallons to the same month last year, then run the meter test described on the high bill guide. A meter that moves with everything off is a leak.

If you are behind on a bill, the fee sheet shows the cost of letting it slide: an $8.00 delinquent penalty when payment misses the due date and a $35.00 charge if service is disconnected for non-payment.

Comparing NCWSA with the City of Covington

At low usage, NCWSA's $3.34 bottom tier is cheaper per gallon than the City's $18.05 minimum for the first 3,000 gallons. As usage rises, NCWSA's upper tiers overtake the City's flat $6.00 per thousand. Sewer works the other way round at the margin, with NCWSA at $8.90 and the City at $6 per thousand.

You cannot choose your provider, but the comparison explains why neighbours on different systems see such different bills for the same water use.

The calculator lets you switch between the two.

Where the figures come from

Rates on this page come from NCWSA's FYE 2026 Budget and Financial Plan, which lists retail service rates effective July 1, 2025, and the Authority's separate water and sewer fee sheet. Both are linked below. If NCWSA adopts new rates, its newer documents replace these figures.

Sources for this page: 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); U.S. EPA SDWIS water system records, Covington, GA. Checked 2026-10-30.