Quick answer
For water damage in Ball Ground, GA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. If the City of Ball Ground bills you and the leak is at the meter or in the street, call 770-735-2123. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours, before mold sets in.
Do this first
After-hours water lines.
- Shut off the water. Close your main valve, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. If the City of Ball Ground bills you and the leak is at the meter or in the street, call 770-735-2123; after hours that number reaches the Ball Ground Police Department. CCWSA customers call 770-479-1813.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. Crawlspaces, basements, and slab homes with carpet hold moisture longer than they look.
FEMA's flood map puts about 3% of the land inside Ball Ground in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Long Swamp Creek and Sharp Mountain Creek. The map panels for this area took effect between 2010 and 2019. Check your own address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Never drive or walk through moving water, and treat floodwater as contaminated.
What to know about water damage in Ball Ground
18.67 ft
The record crest of Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5 below Ball Ground, on February 13, 2025, just over its 18-foot flood stage. The creek reached 18 feet in September 2009.
Source: National Water Prediction Service, Sharp Mountain Creek below Ball Ground
A 1938 well
Ball Ground's water comes from a single well built in 1938 and serves about 1,300 households inside and outside the city. Connections to the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority are the backup.
Newer homes
41% of homes inside Ball Ground were built in 2010 or later, and the median home dates to 2007. In newer houses, a failed washing machine hose or ice maker line is a common source of a sudden leak.
Settingdown Creek
Settingdown Creek near Ball Ground starts minor flooding at 13 feet. It crested at 14.23 feet in September 2009 and 13.71 feet in February 2025.
Source: National Water Prediction Service, Settingdown Creek near Ball Ground
6 damaged homes
After Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, 8 homeowners in ZIP 30107 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 6 homes, totaling about $23,949. The September 2009 floods added 5 more. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in 30107
The median home in ZIP 30107 was built in 2000; 16% were built before 1980 and 89% are owner-occupied.
Check your ZIP
How often does Cherokee County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 24 flash flood warnings that included Cherokee County from 2016 through November 11, 2026, peaking at 5 in 2024. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Cost and insurance in Ball Ground
How much does water damage restoration cost in Ball Ground?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Basements and crawlspaces take longer.
Other Cherokee County numbers
Septic backup
The Cherokee County Environmental Health office handles septic permits and failing systems: 770-479-0444. For a public health emergency after hours, the state line is 1-866-782-4584.
Emergency management
Cherokee County EMA posts storm and flood updates and coordinates shelters and road closures: 678-493-4000. Call 911 for anyone in danger.
Source: Cherokee County
Power outage
More than one utility serves Cherokee County, so call the one on your power bill. It depends on your address.
- Amicalola EMC: 706-253-0359 (Jasper), 706-276-0359 (Ellijay), 706-864-0359 (Dahlonega)
- Georgia Power: 888-891-0938
- North Georgia EMC: 706-259-9441 (Dalton office)
- Sawnee EMC: 770-887-2363
Sources: each utility's outage page; county list from Georgia 811
Water removal and restoration in Ball Ground
The company that answers handles water from Long Swamp Creek or Sharp Mountain Creek, plumbing leaks in newer homes, or runoff after heavy rain, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Ball Ground questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter or in the street?
If the City of Ball Ground bills you, call 770-735-2123; after hours that line reaches the police department, or dial 911. If the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority bills you, call 770-479-1813. If you have no water bill, you are on a private well, so turn off the pump breaker and call a plumber.
Does Sharp Mountain Creek flood?
Rarely, but it has. The gauge below Ball Ground starts minor flooding at 18 feet and topped that on February 13, 2025, at 18.67 feet. Long Swamp Creek and Sharp Mountain Creek carry most of the city's mapped flood zone.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30107, including Ball Ground and nearby parts of the county.
Related guides
Water damage in Jasper- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- Mold after water damage
- Mold remediation cost
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
- Water in the crawl space
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: