Quick answer
For water damage in Jackson, GA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. City customers call 770-775-7535; Butts County Water and Sewer Authority customers call 678-228-7905 after hours. 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. Two systems serve the Jackson area, so check your bill. City customers call 770-775-7535; after hours, the Butts County 911 Center reaches every city department. County authority customers call 678-228-7905 after hours.
- 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 Jackson in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Town Branch, Yellow Water Creek, and Aboothlacoosta Creek. The map panels for this area took effect in 2017. 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 Jackson
2,175
Customers on the City of Jackson's water and sewer system, which maintains 26 miles of water line, three storage tanks, and 36 miles of sewer line. A break anywhere on that line can put water into nearby yards and crawlspaces.
Source: City of Jackson Water and Sewer
County water from two rivers
Butts County Water and Sewer Authority draws most of its water from the Ocmulgee River at its Emerson L. Burford plant, with a second plant on the Towaliga River. With the cities of Jackson and Jenkinsburg, it supplies over 95% of the county.
County seat since 1826
Jackson was laid out in 1826 on a 303-acre tract, the first town in the new Butts County, and named for Governor James Jackson. The first train arrived on May 5, 1882, and textile mills became the main employer in the 1900s.
Source: Wikipedia
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee near Jackson, about 8 miles east of town, starts minor flooding at 19 feet. It crested at 26.87 feet on July 6, 1994, during Tropical Storm Alberto.
Source: National Water Prediction Service, Ocmulgee River near Jackson
38 damaged homes
After the January 2023 tornadoes, 284 homeowners in ZIP 30233 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 38 homes, totaling about $478,806. Hurricane Helene in September 2024 added 16 more. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in 30233
The median home in ZIP 30233 was built in 1995; 23% were built before 1980 and 77% are owner-occupied.
57 flood insurance claims
Since 1994, the National Flood Insurance Program has recorded 57 flood claims on buildings in ZIP 30233. The most came in 2024, with 22, from Hurricane Helene. Of those, 18 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 Butts County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 13 flash flood warnings that included Butts County from 2016 through November 11, 2026, peaking at 2 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 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 0 |
Cost and insurance in Jackson
How much does water damage restoration cost in Jackson?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). River and creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Basements and crawlspaces take longer.
Other Butts County numbers
Septic backup
The Butts County Environmental Health office handles septic permits and failing systems: 770-504-2230. For a public health emergency after hours, the state line is 1-866-782-4584.
Sources: Butts County Environmental Health, Georgia DPH
Emergency management
Butts County EMA posts storm and flood updates and coordinates shelters and road closures: 770-775-8232. Call 911 for anyone in danger.
Source: Butts County
Power outage
More than one utility serves Butts County, so call the one on your power bill. It depends on your address.
- City of Jackson Electric Department: 770-775-7535
- Central Georgia EMC: 770-775-7857
- Georgia Power: 888-891-0938
Sources: each utility's outage page; county list from Georgia 811
Water removal and restoration in Jackson
The company that answers handles runoff along Town Branch and Yellow Water Creek, basement and crawlspace seepage, and septic backups on county lots, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Jackson questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter or in the street?
Check your bill. City of Jackson customers call 770-775-7535; after hours, the Butts County 911 Center contacts the city's on-call crews. Butts County Water and Sewer Authority customers call 678-228-7905 after hours or 770-775-0042 on weekdays.
Which creeks flood around Jackson?
Town Branch, Yellow Water Creek, and Aboothlacoosta Creek carry most of the city's mapped flood zone. Low yards and roads near them take water first.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30233, including Jackson and nearby parts of the county.
Related guides
Other Georgia towns- 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: