Quick answer
For water damage in Buford, 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 Buford bills you and the leak is at the meter or in the street, call 770-932-7986 nights and weekends. 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. The City of Buford runs its own water, sewer, gas, and electric service. For a leak at the meter or in the street, call 678-889-4600 or 770-932-7981 on weekdays, or 770-932-7986 nights, weekends, and holidays. Gwinnett County water customers outside the city use the number on their bill.
- 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 4% of the land inside Buford in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Suwanee Creek, Richland Creek, and Big Creek. The map panels for this area took effect between 2006 and 2022. 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 Buford
1934
The year the old Buford Waterworks was built, filtering 500,000 gallons a day. The city draws from Lake Lanier and buys part of its water from Gwinnett County, and it has since built a new water plant.
Source: City of Buford Water Department
Named for a railroad president
Buford grew up along the Richmond and Danville line after 1865 and was named for Algernon Sidney Buford, president of the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway. Most of the city is in Gwinnett County, with a small northern part in Hall.
Source: Wikipedia
Buford Dam
Buford Dam, at the south end of Lake Lanier, was begun in 1950 and dedicated in 1957. It supplies water to the Atlanta area, makes electricity, and helps control flooding on the Chattahoochee.
Source: Wikipedia
31 damaged homes
After the September 2009 floods, 46 homeowners in ZIPs 30518 and 30519 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 31 homes, totaling about $31,070. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in 30518
Half the homes in ZIP 30518 were built in 2001 or later, and 26% went up in 2010 or later. In newer houses, a failed washing machine hose, ice maker line, or plumbing fitting is a common source of a sudden leak.
20 flood insurance claims
Since 1982, the National Flood Insurance Program has recorded 20 flood claims on buildings in ZIPs 30518 and 30519. The most came in 2013, with 6. Of those, 13 were on buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zone. Buildings without flood insurance are not counted.
Source: FEMA NFIP claims data (OpenFEMA)
Check your ZIP
How often does Gwinnett County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 63 flash flood warnings that included Gwinnett County from 2016 through November 11, 2026, peaking at 11 in 2020. 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 | 0 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 9 |
Cost and insurance in Buford
How much does water damage restoration cost in Buford?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Finished basements take longer.
Other Gwinnett County numbers
Septic backup
The Gwinnett County Environmental Health office handles septic permits and failing systems: 770-963-5132. For a public health emergency after hours, the state line is 1-866-782-4584.
Emergency management
Gwinnett County EMA posts storm and flood updates and coordinates shelters and road closures: 770-513-5600. Call 911 for anyone in danger.
Source: Gwinnett County
Power outage
More than one utility serves Gwinnett County, so call the one on your power bill. It depends on your address.
- City of Buford electric, after hours: 770-932-7986
- Georgia Power: 888-891-0938
- Jackson EMC: 800-245-4044
- Sawnee EMC: 770-887-2363
- Snapping Shoals EMC: 678-814-4961
- Walton EMC: 678-639-3300
Sources: each utility's outage page; county list from Georgia 811
Water removal and restoration in Buford
The company that answers handles water from Suwanee Creek and Richland Creek, basement seepage, and sewer backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Buford questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter or in the street?
If the City of Buford bills you, call 770-932-7986 nights, weekends, and holidays, or 770-932-7981 on weekdays. If Gwinnett County bills you, call the number on your bill.
Which creeks flood around Buford?
Suwanee Creek, Richland Creek, and Big Creek carry most of the city's mapped flood zone. Low yards and finished basements near them take water first.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30518 and 30519, including Buford and nearby parts of Gwinnett and Hall counties. For the small town inside Buford, see the Rest Haven page.
Related guides
Other Georgia towns- Sewage backup: what to do first
- 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: