Submetering in Georgia
Last reviewed by NES Editorial · September 2026
Georgia requires water submeters in new multifamily construction and allows them everywhere else. Here is what the Water Stewardship Act means for owners.
Submetering is common across Georgia, and NES runs it end to end. We install nonproprietary meters that you own, read them every day, pay the master-meter bill, and bill your residents. Our compliance team tracks the Georgia rules, set by the Georgia EPD, so your billing holds up if anyone ever checks it. NES has worked this way since 1968, in more than 43 states.
Yes. Submetering is allowed in Georgia, with some restrictions.
Water submetering follows the Georgia Water Stewardship Act, and NES handles the requirements for you.
What submetering is
Submetering puts a meter on each unit and bills residents for the water, gas, and electric they actually use. The idea has been around since the 1920s. Today’s meters read wirelessly every day, so usage is accurate and leaks show up fast instead of on the next bill.
Why owners in Georgia submeter
- Residents pay for what they use, so water consumption usually drops 15 to 30%.
- Leaks are caught within a day, not at the end of the month.
- Common-area usage is measured and billed accurately, not absorbed by the owner.
- Most installs pay for themselves within 12 to 18 months.
Submetering laws and rules in Georgia
- Georgia's 2010 Water Stewardship Act (O.C.G.A. 12-5-180.1) requires new multifamily buildings permitted after July 1, 2012 to be individually metered or submetered for water
- Residents are billed for their measured water and wastewater use, and a public water system cannot charge a fee just for using privately owned submeters
- Owners may charge reasonable fees for installing, maintaining, and billing the metering system, and admin fees should be disclosed in the lease
- Georgia has no state rule on electric or gas submetering, so the lease governs how those are billed; electric service comes from utilities such as Georgia Power and the EMCs, and natural gas is sold through Georgia's competitive retail market
- Submetering is allowed in existing buildings as well as new construction, and NES tracks the current requirements for your property
Local rules can vary by city and county, and some cities set their own requirements, which NES verifies for your exact address.
Official sources: Georgia EPD · O.C.G.A. 12-5-180.1
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the Georgia EPD or a qualified attorney.
NES submetering by city in Georgia
Local submetering guides for Georgia communities NES serves.
Submetering in Georgia
See what your Georgia property can recover.
Send us your master-meter bills and unit count. We’ll run the numbers on your actual property and reply within one business day with a clear, no-obligation estimate.