How Utility Service Is Organised Across Georgia

Georgia has 159 counties, and no single office handles water, power and gas for all of them. Depending on your address, electricity may come from Georgia Power, from a member-owned cooperative such as Sumter Electric Membership Corporation in Americus, or from a city-run system. Water and sewer usually belong to a county, a city or a water authority. This page helps you work out which office answers for your property.

Our database holds 296 utilities listings across the state. Atlanta has the most, but entries also reach smaller places such as Blairsville, Chatsworth and Jackson. Treat each listing as a starting point and confirm the service area before you visit or call.

Three Kinds of Electric Provider in Georgia

Electric service in Georgia falls into three groups. Which one serves you depends on a territory map, not on a choice you make.

The Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act of 1973 divided the state into assigned service areas. Because of it, most households cannot switch electric suppliers the way they might switch a phone plan. If you move, your address decides who you call. Your last bill, or the utility's online outage map, will show the provider.

Natural Gas: The One Service Georgia Households Can Shop For

Natural gas works differently. Under the Natural Gas Competition and Deregulation Act of 1997, customers in the competitive market choose a marketer to sell them gas. The pipes and meters stay with a regulated distribution company, and Atlanta Gas Light serves much of that territory. The Public Service Commission certifies the marketers and handles complaints about them.

Our Rome listing, Scana Energy at 2543 Redmond Circle in Floyd County (706-802-0521), reflects that marketer side of the business. Gas marketers change names and ownership fairly often, so confirm the current brand and terms before you sign anything. Some cities, such as Tifton with its City of Tifton Natural Gas listing (229-391-3964), run their own gas systems. Those systems usually sell directly to customers inside the city's service area, and the city government sets their rates.

Water, Sewer and Stormwater Offices Around Georgia

Water is mostly a local matter. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division, part of the Department of Natural Resources, issues withdrawal permits and wastewater discharge permits and enforces drinking water standards. The office that bills you, repairs your line and answers your questions is local. Some examples from our listings:

Water authorities are usually created by local legislation and run by a governing board. Cities and counties handle the rest through a utility department. Either way, the board or council that oversees the system sets your rates. The Public Service Commission does not.

Stormwater is its own category in many places. The Valdosta Stormwater Utility at 300 North Lee Street (229-259-3530) is a local example. A stormwater fee often appears as a separate line on a city or county bill. It pays for drainage pipes, ditches and flood control, not for your drinking water.

Metro Atlanta, Small Towns and the Coast Do Not Work the Same Way

Metro Atlanta has the densest concentration of offices. Fulton County alone accounts for 30 listings, and Cobb County adds several more, including two entries for the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority. One is at 1170 Atlanta Industrial Drive in Marietta (770-514-5201) and the other is on Mars Hill Church Road Northwest in Acworth (770-974-4286). That authority supplies treated water to other systems rather than running every customer account itself, so your own bill may come from a different office.

Metro systems also work within regional planning. The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, created in 2001, coordinates water supply, wastewater and conservation planning across 15 counties. Much of the region's drinking water comes from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier, so drought rules and outdoor watering limits can affect you from one summer to the next.

Smaller cities and rural counties look different. In Floyd County, which includes Rome, and in Sumter County, around Americus, you will often deal with a cooperative for power and a city or county office for water. Offices may keep shorter hours and take payment by phone or by mail. Many south Georgia communities draw on the Floridan aquifer. On the coast, state rules limit groundwater withdrawals to manage saltwater intrusion, which is one reason coastal water planning looks different from the north.

Contractors and Suppliers Mixed In With the Utilities

Not every business in this category bills you for service. Names such as Creighton Electric Company in Atlanta, Excel South Electric Company in Alpharetta, Slate's Electric in Acworth and McNaughton-McKay Electric Company in Cartersville appear to be electrical contractors or suppliers. Call them for wiring, equipment or materials. For a bill, an outage or a service start, contact the provider named on your statement.

What to Have Ready Before You Contact a Georgia Utility Office

A little preparation saves a second trip or a long hold on the phone. Gather these items first:

Ask whether a deposit applies. Policies vary by provider, and cooperatives and cities set their own. Then ask about payment plans and the process before you fall behind. Most utilities would rather arrange a schedule with you than start disconnection. If you want to compare offices in your area, browse the county pages for Fulton County or Cobb County.

Municipal utility departments throughout Georgia provide electricity, water, sewer, and related services to millions of residents and businesses. Utility governance in Georgia is shaped by the state's public utility commission, which regulates investor-owned utilities, while municipally owned systems operate under local authority.

Utilities locations are available in 157 cities across Georgia. They are spread across 110 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of utility offices include Atlanta, Rome, Alpharetta, reflecting their larger populations and service area demands.

Georgia residents should contact their local utility provider directly for account setup, billing questions, and outage reporting. State-level utility assistance programs may also be available through the state's health and human services agency.

Utilities by Counties

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Georgia residents who need help paying utility bills may qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered through the state's community services offices. Contact your local utility provider to inquire about budget billing, shut-off protection, and additional assistance programs available in your area.

Browse Utilities by county across Georgia to find your local utility department's contact information and service office locations.

Georgia Utility Bills, Complaints and Safe Digging

A Georgia utility bill can come from more than one office, even at a single address. Power might come from an EMC, water from a county authority, and a stormwater or sanitation charge from the city. Read each statement for the name, phone number and account number, and keep them together in one place. That makes it faster to find the right office when something goes wrong.

Where you take a complaint depends on who provided the service. The Public Service Commission handles disputes with Georgia Power and with certified gas marketers. EMC members raise issues with the cooperative first, then with the elected board. Municipal customers can go to the utility director or the city council. For drinking water quality, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division is the state office to contact.

In Lowndes County, where Valdosta sits, and in Muscogee County, where Columbus is located, local offices manage service starts and billing. See the pages for Lowndes County and Muscogee County for listings near you. The questions below cover the issues Georgia residents ask about most.

Start with your most recent electric bill, which names the provider. If you are moving in and have no bill, ask the property owner or look at the meter and the company name on nearby poles and equipment. Georgia's territorial law assigns service areas, so you cannot usually pick a provider. Neighbors across the same road can even be served by different companies. If you are still unsure, call the Georgia Power number in our Greensboro listing or a nearby cooperative such as Carroll EMC or Sumter EMC and give them your address.

In much of the state, yes. The 1997 deregulation law lets customers in the competitive market pick a certified marketer, while the regulated distribution company keeps the pipes and handles emergencies and leaks. Compare the price per therm, any monthly fee, the contract length and the cancellation terms. Some cities, including Tifton, run their own gas systems and serve customers directly, so you may not have a choice there. Ask the office listed for your city whether you are in the competitive market.

Always contact the utility first, and write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what was promised. If the problem stays unresolved, the next step depends on the provider. The Georgia Public Service Commission accepts complaints about Georgia Power and about regulated gas companies and marketers. For an EMC, ask for the cooperative's member services or board. For a city or county water system, contact the utility director or the elected council. The Environmental Protection Division handles drinking water and discharge violations.

Call 811, the free Georgia 811 service, before any project that breaks ground. That includes fence posts, trees, decks and drainage work. Georgia law requires advance notice, so make the request a few business days ahead and confirm the current timing when you call. Member utilities then mark the lines they own. Private lines, such as a line to a detached garage, are usually not marked, so check those yourself. Wait for the markings, then dig by hand near them. Hitting a gas or electric line is dangerous and can leave you responsible for repair costs.

Often, yes. Call your utility before the due date and ask about a payment arrangement. Georgia also takes part in the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is delivered through local community action agencies, and income limits and funding windows apply. Dialing 211 connects you with a referral service that can point you to local assistance. Churches and charities in cities such as Rome, Americus and Columbus sometimes help as well. Have your latest bill, proof of income and photo ID ready when you apply.

Community water systems must publish an annual water quality report, often called a Consumer Confidence Report, by July 1 each year. Look for it on your utility's website or ask the office listed for your city. It names your water source and lists tested contaminants. Metro Atlanta systems draw heavily on the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier, while many south Georgia systems rely on groundwater. If you have a specific concern about taste, color or lead, ask the utility for testing options and contact the Environmental Protection Division if you do not get an answer.