In Brookhaven, DeKalb County owns and runs the sewer system, but clogs in a home's fixtures, branch drains and building sewer are the owner's to clear. A plumber can tell whether the blockage is inside the house or out toward DeKalb's pipes. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Brookhaven.
Where does my responsibility end and DeKalb's begin?
Brookhaven is unusual in how plainly the city spells this out. Its public works page says DeKalb County Watershed Management owns and operates the sanitary sewer system in Brookhaven, including manholes, pipes and service laterals, and that the city itself can't maintain or repair them; only DeKalb or its contractors can. The city also says homeowners are responsible for the systems on their property. In practice, a clog in the drains and pipes serving your house is a plumbing call. If a plumber clears your line to the point where it leaves your plumbing and the backup persists, or sewage is spilling from a manhole, report it to DeKalb at 770-270-6243.
Why do older Brookhaven houses clog so often?
Census survey data show about 30% of Brookhaven homes were built before 1980, including roughly 9% from the 1950s. Houses from that era in neighborhoods such as Historic Brookhaven and Lynwood Park often have cast iron drains that rust and scale on the inside, giving grease and paper something to cling to. Long-established trees add roots to the picture. Newer construction around Town Brookhaven and along Peachtree Road has plastic pipe that resists corrosion but still clogs from grease, wipes and hair.
When is it more than a simple clog?
- Two or more fixtures are slow at once
- Water comes up in a tub or floor drain when a toilet is flushed
- A toilet gurgles or the bowl level rises and falls by itself
- The same drain needs plunging every few weeks
- A sewage smell lingers even with water in the traps
Any of these suggests the main building drain, which needs a machine cable or water jet and sometimes a camera. Plunging harder at that point just pushes water toward the lowest opening in the house, so it's better to stop using water and let a plumber open the line from a cleanout.
A permit note
Clearing a drain is service work. Brookhaven's permit FAQ says replacing fixtures in the same spot doesn't need a permit, but changes to plumbing lines do, so a repair that replaces drain piping goes through the city's Community Development permit portal.
Drain Cleaning questions in Brookhaven
If every drain backs up at once, should I call the utility or a plumber first?
Why do drains in older homes clog more often?
Should I have the line inspected with a camera after it's cleared?
Are wipes labeled flushable safe to flush?
More plumbing services in Brookhaven
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