The water is off, and a leak or a big bill is the reason
Plumbing problems and billing problems often arrive together. A hidden leak runs up a bill the household cannot pay, the account falls behind, and service is disconnected, sometimes before anyone has found the leak. Or a plumber needs the water on to test a repair and the account is in disconnection. Either way, it helps to know exactly what each utility's rules say about when service is cut and when it comes back.
Jasper-area homes are served by two public water systems with different schedules. The City of Jasper rewrote its rules in Ordinance 2025-17, which its Water & Sanitation page says took effect September 22, 2025. The Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority publishes its rules on its rate sheet. The comparison table below puts them side by side, and the sections after it explain the details.
City of Jasper: Ordinance 2025-17
Under Section 82-2 of the ordinance, utility bills are mailed on the 25th and due on the 10th of the following month, and service may be disconnected if unpaid after the 20th. If the 20th falls on a weekend or a city holiday, the disconnection date moves to the next business day, and service will not be disconnected on a Friday or the day before a holiday. The city's service rates page says a late fee of $25.00 applies to accounts overdue after the 10th.
Section 82-1 sets the reconnection rules. Service disconnected for nonpayment is not restored until all past-due amounts and the reconnection fee are paid in full, and the reconnection fee is $50.00. Reconnection happens only between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, and the city will not restore service during non-business hours or on weekends. If you pay through the online portal, it is your responsibility to call City Hall to ask for reconnection. A check returned for insufficient funds carries a $35.00 fee under the ordinance, although the city's service rates page still lists $25.00 for returned checks; ask City Hall which applies.
If service stays off past the next due date on the 10th, the ordinance says a closing letter is mailed and the account is finalized by the 20th.
| Rule | City of Jasper | Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill due date | 10th of the month | 5th of the month | Ordinance 2025-17; county rate sheet |
| Late fee | $25.00 | $25.00 if unpaid by 8:00 am on the 6th | City service rates page; county rate sheet |
| When disconnection can happen | Unpaid after the 20th; not on a Friday or the day before a holiday | Third Tuesday of the month | Ordinance 2025-17; county rate sheet |
| Reconnection fee | $50.00 | $25.00 disconnect reconnection fee | Ordinance 2025-17; county rate sheet |
| Restoration hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding holidays | Same day if payment reaches the office by 5:00pm | Ordinance 2025-17; county rate sheet |
| Returned check fee | $35.00 (ordinance); the service rates page still shows $25.00 | $30.00 | Ordinance 2025-17; city service rates page; county rate sheet |
City of Jasper: protections and payment arrangements
Section 82-3 says the city will not disconnect a customer who relies on a life support system or dialysis machine, provided the customer has notified the city and submitted proper documentation. Customers who expect to miss a payment must contact the city's Customer Support Department before the scheduled disconnection date. One payment arrangement is allowed in any six-month period, and it must be made before a utility field technician arrives at the residence. The city states it is not liable for loss or damage resulting from disconnection.
The ordinance lists three grounds for disconnection: nonpayment, failure to comply with the city's utility rules or policies, and tampering with utility equipment or theft of service. City Hall is at 200 Burnt Mountain Road, phone 706-692-9100.
Water still moving? Close your own shutoff valve first, then send a Free Quote Request.
Free Quote RequestPickens County Water & Sewer Authority
County bills are due on the 5th, with no grace period; a $25.00 late fee is added if the balance is unpaid at 8:00 am on the 6th. Disconnections are scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month, and past-due balances must be paid before 8:00 am that day to avoid disconnection. To restore service, the full past-due balance and fees must be paid; partial payments are not accepted. Payments received in the office by 5:00pm restore service the same day, and later payments are restored the next business day. The disconnect reconnection fee is $25.00.
The rate sheet adds that customers may be disconnected without further notice if the past-due balance is not paid by the third Tuesday, and that anyone who illegally turns water on is charged an illegal connection fee. The county water service guide lists every published fee.
A short checklist for getting the water back on
Confirm which utility serves the address and the exact amount needed to restore service, including any fees. Pay through a channel the utility accepts, and if you pay online with the City of Jasper, call City Hall to request reconnection. Before the water comes back on, make sure faucets and outdoor spigots are closed and any known leak is isolated, so the restored water does not run onto the floor. If a plumber needs the water on to test a repair, coordinate the timing with the utility's reconnection hours. Keep receipts for payments and repairs together in one place.
Getting a plumber in while the water is off
A disconnection does not stop you from getting a leak repaired, and repairing the leak is usually what prevents the next disconnection. A plumber can work on dry lines and will need the water restored to test. Do not turn water back on at the meter yourself: the meter belongs to the utility, and the county's illegal connection fee is aimed at exactly that. Arrange restoration through the office during the hours above, then have the repair tested.
If a leak caused the bill, keep the repair invoice. County customers may qualify for the authority's leak adjustment, explained in the leak adjustment guide, and both utilities' billing rules are discussed in the high water bill guide.
Where these facts come from: City of Jasper Ordinance 2025-17: utility billing, disconnection and reconnection (Chapter 82, Sec. 82-1 to 82-3) (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); Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority: Water Rates & Meter Fees, effective January 1, 2024 (Water Rate Sheet, 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
When will the City of Jasper reconnect water after payment?
Ordinance 2025-17 allows reconnection only Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding holidays, after past-due amounts and the $50.00 reconnection fee are paid.
Will the City of Jasper disconnect water on a Friday?
No. The ordinance says service will not be disconnected on a Friday or the day immediately before a holiday.
How do I get Pickens County water restored the same day?
Pay the full past-due balance and fees; payments received in the office by 5:00pm restore service the same day.