Savannah Sewer Fees & Discharge Limits - Builders

Savannah, Georgia builders must understand local sewer fees and discharge limits that affect new construction, renovations, and industrial connections. This guide explains where to find the city ordinances, who enforces sewer use rules, typical application steps for connection or variance, and how to address enforcement actions. For the controlling municipal code text see the City of Savannah Code of Ordinances. Municode^[1]

Overview of Sewer Fees and Discharge Limits

The City of Savannah regulates sewer connections, user charges, and limits on wastewater discharges to protect the collection system and downstream treatment works. Charges typically include connection fees, capacity or impact fees, and recurring user charges; numeric discharge standards for industrial or commercial effluent are set by local ordinance and pretreatment program rules where applicable. For municipal program details contact Savannah Public Utilities. City of Savannah Public Utilities^[2]

• Connection and capacity fees may apply when adding new sewer service or increasing meter size.
• Monthly sewer user charges commonly appear on utility bills and fund operation and maintenance.
• Discharge limits for specific pollutants may apply to industrial or commercial dischargers under the city's pretreatment program.

Penalties & Enforcement

Enforcement and penalties for violation of sewer fees, connection rules, or discharge limits are administered by the City of Savannah through its utilities and code enforcement functions. The municipal code and associated regulations set the enforcement framework; specific fine amounts or daily penalties are not consistently itemized on the public ordinance summary pages and may be set by resolution, fee schedule, or departmental rule. When exact penalty figures are not listed on the cited ordinance page, this guide notes that the amount is not specified on the cited page.^[1]

• Fines: not specified on the cited page; check the ordinance or departmental fee schedule for current amounts.
• Escalation: first, repeat, and continuing offences may be treated differently by ordinance or administrative rule; specific ranges are not specified on the cited page.
• Non-monetary sanctions: compliance orders, stop-work or service termination, sewer service disconnection, injunctive or civil actions in court.
• Enforcer and complaints: Savannah Public Utilities and Code Enforcement accept reports and conduct inspections; see the official department contact page for complaint submission.
• Appeals: the municipal code or administrative rules set appeal or review routes; time limits for appeal are not specified on the cited page and should be confirmed with the enforcing office.

Applications & Forms

Typical forms include sewer connection or service application, industrial pretreatment permit applications, and variance or equivalency requests. Where a specific form name or number is published it appears on the city's Utilities or Development Services pages; if a named form is not published, official guidance is not specified on the cited page.

• Connection application: name/number not specified on the cited page; submit via Savannah Public Utilities or Development Services.
• Fees: submission fees or capacity charges are set by resolution or fee schedule; amounts not specified on the cited page.
• Submission: in-person or online through Savannah's utilities or permitting portals as indicated on official department pages.

Action Steps for Builders

• Before bidding: request current connection fees and capacity impacts from Savannah Public Utilities.
• Obtain required permits: apply for sewer connection and any industrial discharge permits early in design.
• Design compliance: include pretreatment or grease control devices where required by ordinance or utility rule.
• Pay fees timely: ensure payment of connection, inspection, and user charges to avoid liens or service holds.

FAQ

Who sets sewer discharge limits in Savannah?

The City of Savannah sets local discharge limits through its municipal code and pretreatment program; for ordinance text see the City of Savannah Code of Ordinances.^[1]

How much is a sewer connection fee?

Connection and capacity fee amounts are set by fee schedule or resolution and are not specified on the cited ordinance summary page; contact Savannah Public Utilities for current fees.^[2]

What happens if a builder exceeds discharge limits?

Consequences can include compliance orders, fines, service termination, and civil action; exact fine amounts and escalation rules should be confirmed with the enforcing department.

How-To

1. Identify the project sewer demand and check city connection and capacity fee schedules with Public Utilities.
2. Include required pretreatment, grease interceptors, or other controls in the engineering design to meet discharge limits.
3. Complete and submit the sewer connection application and any industrial discharge permit forms to the appropriate Savannah department.
4. Pay applicable fees, schedule inspections, and retain records of approvals and payments prior to final connection.

Key Takeaways

• Confirm current fees and discharge limits with Savannah Public Utilities before finalizing bids.
• Design for pretreatment where required to avoid costly retrofit penalties.
• Keep complete application, inspection, and payment records to support appeals.

Help and Support / Resources

• City of Savannah official website
• City of Savannah Code of Ordinances (Municode)
• City departments directory (Development Services, Public Works, Utilities)

1. [1] City of Savannah Code of Ordinances - Municode
2. [2] City of Savannah Public Utilities / Official City Website