Augusta-Richmond County, GA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Notice recipient
- Property owner or agent, if known
- Fallback recipient
- Tenant, who must relay notice personally
- Bill adjustment requires
- Licensed plumber's certificate of repair
- False certification penalty
- Prosecution, possible plumbing license revocation
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County notifies property owners of leaking fixtures, and owners or agents must personally alert tenants of any leak found on the property.
Notice of leaking fixtures shall be sent to the property owner or his agent, where the address of such owner or agent is known. Otherwise, notice shall be sent to the tenant who shall be instructed by the owner or agent to give him notice personally of any such leaking fixture.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Under Augusta-Richmond County Code Tit. 5, § 5-2-9, the Utilities Department sends notice of a leaking fixture to the property owner or agent when their address is known; if not, the tenant gets the notice and must personally relay it to the owner or agent. Separately, §§ 5-2-50 through 5-2-54 let a property owner get an excessive water bill adjusted after a leak, but only after a licensed plumber certifies in writing that the leaking fixtures or piping have actually been repaired, and the utilities manager reviews that certificate before granting any reduction.
Violations & Fines
There's no fine tied to § 5-2-9 itself, but skipping the plumber's certificate under § 5-2-51 means no water bill reduction, and a plumber who falsely certifies repairs faces prosecution and possible license revocation under § 5-2-54.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Augusta-Richmond County notify about a leaking fixture?
Can a leak lower my water bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
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