Stonecrest, GA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Section 25-76 ("Waste of water") declares it unlawful for any person to allow water to be wasted through leaks, breaks or malfunctions in any pipe or fixture on premises they own or occupy. If the responsible person does not repair or report the problem within a reasonable time, water service may be terminated. The code presumes two business days is reasonable, counted either from when the person discovers the leak or from when the county hand-delivers or posts a notice on the premises, whichever comes first.

If a leak, break or malfunction poses a public health, safety or environmental threat, the water service provider may terminate service immediately with no advance notice to the occupant. Once cut off, service will not be restored until the leak is repaired and all outstanding bills, plus administrative termination and restoration fees, are paid. Section 25-77 allows a property owner who can document economic hardship, defined in Sec. 25-75 as repair costs exceeding $1,000.00, to petition within the same two-business-day window for up to 15 additional business days to fix the problem without losing service, though the customer remains responsible for all water used and wasted after the initial two-day period.

Criminal penalties for illegal water use generally, including waste violations, run through Sec. 25-63: a second conviction within 12 months carries a minimum $500.00 fine, and a third carries a minimum $1,000.00 fine plus 24 hours in jail, on top of any water shutoff already imposed.