The bill is far higher than last month and nothing changed
A water bill that suddenly doubles is one of the most common reasons homeowners in Pickens County go looking for a plumber. Sometimes the cause is obvious, such as a new lawn or a filled pool. More often it is a leak that makes no noise: a toilet that runs silently, a dripping hose bib on the far side of the house, a cracked fitting in a crawl space, or a break in the service line under the yard. Because both public water systems here charge more per gallon as use rises, a leak can push an account into higher tiers and raise the price of every additional gallon.
This page walks through the checks in order, from reading the bill to finding the leak, and then explains what each utility publishes about adjustments and payment. The rates come from the City of Jasper's schedule effective August 1, 2024 and the Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority's rate sheet effective January 1, 2024. The estimator panel on this page lists the same published tiers.
Read the bill: which system, which tier
First confirm which system bills you. City of Jasper bills are due on the 10th of each month, and the city's service rates page says a late fee of $25.00 is applied to overdue accounts, with accounts still past due after the 20th subject to disconnection. Pickens County bills are due on the 5th, with a $25 late charge if the balance is unpaid by 8:00 am on the 6th, and disconnections scheduled on the third Tuesday of the month.
Next compare the gallons, not just the dollars. City customers inside the limits pay $2.55 per 1,000 gallons up to 2,000 gallons, then $3.40, $4.23 and $5.10 per 1,000 as use passes 5,000 and 10,000 gallons. City sewer uses the same tiers, so a city-sewered home pays twice for each leaked gallon. The full city table is below, and the county tiers follow in the next section.
| Monthly usage | Inside city limits | Outside city limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2,000 gallons | $2.55 | $3.83 | City of Jasper rate schedule |
| 2,001-5,000 gallons | $3.40 | $5.09 | City of Jasper rate schedule |
| 5,001-10,000 gallons | $4.23 | $6.35 | City of Jasper rate schedule |
| Over 10,000 gallons | $5.10 | $7.65 | City of Jasper rate schedule |
County accounts: higher tiers above 5,000 gallons
On a Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority account, the minimum for a 3/4-inch meter covers up to 1,000 gallons, and each tier above it costs more. Use above 5,000 gallons is charged at $7.53 per 1,000 gallons; the sheet's $9.68 tier above 10,000 gallons applies only to 2-inch to 6-inch meters. A leak that adds a few thousand gallons to a household that already uses 6,000 gallons a month is billed at those upper rates.
The rate sheet also states that the water authority is not responsible for water loss on the customer's side of the meter, and that your mailed bill will be the only statement you receive. If a bill does not arrive, the sheet says it is your responsibility to contact the office. To see what a given leak adds, use the Jasper water leak cost calculator.
| Item | Charge | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 3/4-inch meter minimum, up to 1,000 gallons | $36.00 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Above 1,000 up to 3,000 gallons | $5.38 per 1,000 gallons | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Above 3,000 up to 5,000 gallons | $6.45 per 1,000 gallons | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| 3/4-inch and 1-inch meters: above 5,000 gallons | $7.53 per 1,000 gallons | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| 2-inch to 6-inch meters: above 5,000 up to 10,000 gallons / above 10,000 gallons | $7.53 / $9.68 per 1,000 gallons | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
Water still moving? Close your own shutoff valve first, then send a Free Quote Request.
Free Quote RequestTest the meter before you call anyone
Turn off every fixture and appliance that uses water, including ice makers, irrigation timers and the water heater supply if you can. Then look at the meter. If the dial or digital display keeps moving with everything off, water is leaving the system somewhere after the meter. Write down the reading, wait an hour without using water, and read it again; the difference tells you roughly how many gallons the leak wastes in an hour.
The City of Jasper has been replacing manually read meters with AMI meters that transmit consumption to City Hall, according to its Water & Sanitation page. If your account is on one of those meters, City Hall may be able to tell you when the higher use started, which narrows down the cause. Call the office at 706-692-9100 during business hours.
If the meter stops when you close your own main shutoff, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving with the main closed, the leak is likely in the service line between the meter and the house, which is a private repair.
Find the leak: the usual suspects
Toilets lead the list. The City of Jasper says toilet leaks can waste up to 72,000 gallons of water a year and recommends a dye test: add a few drops of food coloring to the tank, wait at least 15 minutes without flushing, and look for color in the bowl. The county's water page adds that a toilet leak can waste up to 200 gallons a day and that a faucet dripping once a second can waste 2,700 gallons a year. The Jasper toilet leak and dye test guide has the full checklist.
After toilets, check outdoor spigots and hoses, irrigation zones, the water heater's relief valve discharge line, softener or filter backwash, and any damp spots in the yard along the service line route. A plumber with leak-locating equipment can trace a buried line when nothing shows on the surface.
After the repair: adjustments and payment plans
Pickens County has a written leak adjustment policy. Policy #8 lets the account holder request a one-time adjustment per meter location in a two-year period when consumption above the monthly average was caused by a leak or line break, but only for consumption greater than 40,000 gallons and/or a balance of $300 or higher, and only if the bill is contested within 30 days of the billing date. Smaller leak bills are set up on a monthly payment plan. The county leak adjustment guide explains each step.
The City of Jasper's water pages do not publish a leak adjustment policy. Its Ordinance 2025-17 allows one payment arrangement in any six-month period, made before a field technician arrives, and the city's Water & Sanitation page describes a reduced water and sewer rate application for customers who are disabled or 62 or older and meet federal poverty guideline income limits. Ask City Hall what applies to your account.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| City of Jasper late fee on overdue accounts | $25.00 | City of Jasper service rates page |
| Pickens County late charge if unpaid by 8:00 am on the 6th | $25.00 | Pickens County Water Rate Sheet |
| Pickens County leak adjustment: balance that can qualify | $300 or higher | Pickens County Policy #8 |
Where these facts come from: City of Jasper: Water and Sewer Rate Schedule, effective August 1, 2024 (PDF); City of Jasper: Water and Sanitation Service Rates (payments, fees, after-hours numbers); City of Jasper: Water & Sanitation department page (contacts, forms, reconnection notice); City of Jasper News: Is Your Toilet Running? (dye test, November 21, 2024); City of Jasper Ordinance 2025-17: utility billing, disconnection and reconnection (Chapter 82, Sec. 82-1 to 82-3) (PDF); Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority: Water Rates & Meter Fees, effective January 1, 2024 (Water Rate Sheet, PDF); Pickens County Water and Sewer Authority: Policy #8, Leak Adjustments (amended February 20, 2023, PDF); Pickens County, GA: Water department page (billing, disconnect schedule, water-loss facts). Checked 2026-10-26.
Describe the problem once. Independent plumbers who work in Pickens County can follow up.
Free Quote RequestQuestions Pickens County homeowners ask
Why did my City of Jasper bill double after a leak?
City of Jasper residential sewer rates use the same tiers as water, so each leaked gallon is charged on both the water and sewer lines for homes on city sewer.
Does the City of Jasper offer leak adjustments?
The city's water pages do not publish a leak adjustment policy. Ordinance 2025-17 allows one payment arrangement in any six-month period; ask City Hall about your account.
When does Pickens County charge a late fee?
The county rate sheet says bills are due on the 5th and a $25 late charge is added if the balance is unpaid by 8:00 am on the 6th.