Inside the city, Marietta Water supplies water and sewer and runs a cross-connection program that rates each service by hazard and requires yearly tests of testable backflow devices, while City of Marietta Building Inspections issues plumbing permits. Marietta-addressed businesses outside city limits may be on Cobb County Water System instead. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Marietta.
How water, sewer and permits work for a Marietta business
Marietta Water, part of the city's Power and Water utility, distributes water across Marietta and also handles wastewater collection. It doesn't treat water itself; it buys treated water from the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, which draws on the Chattahoochee River and Lake Allatoona. A Marietta mailing address doesn't guarantee city service, though. Properties outside city limits may be Cobb County Water System customers, so check the bill before calling about a meter or a backflow notice.
Marietta Water's backflow program is more hands-on than most. The utility rates each service as high, medium or low hazard and specifies the device, which goes in as close as practical after the meter. Testable devices must be tested once a year by a certified tester, repaired if they fail, and the results sent to the utility. Environmental Compliance answers questions at 770-794-5229 or 770-794-5728.
Plumbing permits for changes to existing buildings come from City of Marietta Building Inspections. The city's housing stock is mixed, with a median year built of 1987 and about a third of homes older than 1980, and the buildings around the Square are older still, so renovation work there can uncover several generations of pipe.
Typical commercial jobs in Marietta
| Job | Usual trigger | Plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Annual backflow test | Marietta Water requirement for testable devices | A certified tester and possible repair parts |
| Kitchen drain clearing | Grease buildup in a restaurant line | Cabling or jetting; a camera if it keeps returning |
| Water heater replacement | Leaking tank or not enough hot water | Sizing for the business and a city permit |
| Service line leak | Wet ground or a high bill | Leak locating and digging on the owner's side |
Signs it's time to call
- Toilets or urinals that run after every flush
- Water stains on ceiling tiles below a restroom
- A sewer odor around a floor drain or mop sink
- Hot water that gives out partway through a shift
- A backflow test letter that hasn't been answered
Timing and seasonal notes
Schedule the backflow test early in the window so a failed device can be fixed before the deadline. Restaurants around the Square see heavy weekend and event traffic, so grease lines are best cleaned on a slow day. Pipes in unheated storage rooms or along exterior walls should be checked before a hard freeze. Marietta Water's service and maintenance dispatch, 770-794-5230, takes problems on the utility side at any hour.
Commercial Plumbing questions in Marietta
Who tests a commercial backflow assembly, and how often?
Our address uses this town name, but we may be outside city limits. Does that matter?
Does a restaurant or commercial kitchen need a grease interceptor?
How can we find out what our water service line is made of?
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