Frequently Asked Questions

A sewer tap is the physical connection point where the homeowner’s lateral connects to the city sewer line.

The lateral is the sewer constructed by private owners for private use on their property. In other words, the lateral serves a single user, not the community. The lateral connects your home to the city sewer. The maintenance and repair of the entire lateral line is the responsibility of the homeowner.

Municipal sewage is sewage collected from residences, public buildings, industries and commercial establishments, such as restaurants.

The sanitary sewer system consists of all public structures (pipes, lift stations, sewer lines and manholes) within the collection system and is designed to carry municipal sewage to the wastewater treatment plant. If a pipe conveys water which needs to be treated, it is a sanitary sewer.

An outfall sewer receives wastewater from the collection system or from the wastewater treatment plant and carries it to the point of final discharge into the Savannah River/Ocean. All sewage on Tybee is treated at the treatment plant.

When you contact the Water/Sewer Department with your concerns, someone will usually be sent to investigate, within an hour. Issues will be resolved as soon as possible.

City employees do not have legal authority to dispatch crews onto private property, to perform work without a legal document granting temporary or permanent access. This legal document is called an easement. The easement allows city employees or contractors to perform maintenance on a publicly owned structure within the boundaries of the easement.

Request are prioritized based on 3 criteria:

- Public health and/or safety
- Environmental impact
- Severity of the problem requiring repair

If you are experiencing a sewer problem, call the Water/Sewer Department at 912-472-5051, if between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 912-786-5600, after hours or on weekends or holidays. The officer who answers will call the person from the Water/Sewer department who is on call.

Spills on private property or in buildings are the responsibility of the property owner. The streets or right of ways will be cleaned by city personnel. The city maintains sewers on a regular basis, but because there is no way to control inappropriate debris from being placed into the sewer, sometimes blockages will occur.