Quick answer
For water damage in Bartow, GA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a leak at the meter or in the road, call Bartow Town Hall at 478-364-3300. 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. The Town of Bartow runs its own water system; Town Hall on Church Street, 478-364-3300, is open Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 to 5:30.
- 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 13% of the land inside Bartow in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Williamson Swamp Creek. The map panels for this area took effect in 2010. 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 Bartow
55%
Share of homes inside Bartow built before 1960, and the median home dates to 1958. Old galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains in homes that age are the usual source of leaks.
Speir's Turnout
In 1839 James Speir gave the Central of Georgia a right-of-way and an acre for a depot. A side track there let trains pass, and the spot became Speir's Turnout; the post office was renamed Bartow on May 18, 1866, and the town incorporated in 1887.
Source: National Register nomination, Bartow Historic District
Freight for Louisville
Louisville had no rail service until 1879, so freight for it was unloaded at Bartow and hauled by wagon. The c. 1859 depot and the c. 1850 Kinman-Salter House still stand in the historic district.
Source: National Register nomination, Bartow Historic District
New water mains
Bartow used a state drinking water fund project to replace about 22,921 feet of existing water mains, with new valves and hydrants in the street rights-of-way.
Williamson Swamp Creek at Davisboro
Williamson Swamp Creek at Davisboro, about 8 miles from Bartow, starts minor flooding at 10 feet. It crested at 14.66 feet on September 17, 2020.
Source: National Water Prediction Service, Williamson Swamp Creek at Davisboro
84 damaged homes
After Hurricane Helene in September 2024, 335 homeowners in ZIP 30413 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 84 homes, totaling about $590,902. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Check your ZIP
Flash flood warnings in Jefferson County
The National Weather Service issued 11 flash flood warnings that included Jefferson County from 2016 through November 11, 2026. The year-by-year count is on the Louisville page.
Cost and insurance in Bartow
How much does water damage restoration cost in Bartow?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Crawlspaces under older homes take longer.
Water removal and restoration in Bartow
The company that answers handles leaks in older houses, runoff along Williamson Swamp Creek, water under mobile homes, and septic backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Bartow questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter or in the road?
Call Bartow Town Hall at 478-364-3300; the office is open Wednesday and Friday. For a leak inside your property line, close your main valve and call a plumber.
Is this Bartow County?
No. This page covers the town of Bartow in Jefferson County, ZIP 30413, near Wadley and Louisville. Bartow County in northwest Georgia has its own pages under Cartersville.
Who was the town named for?
Colonel Francis S. Bartow of Savannah, killed at the Battle of Manassas on July 21, 1861.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30413, including Bartow and nearby parts of the county. Parts of the ZIP cross into Washington and Johnson counties.
Related guides
Other Georgia towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Sewage backup: what to do first
- 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: