Quick answer
For water damage in North Decatur, GA, shut off your main valve first. If DeKalb County sends your water bill and the leak is at the meter or the sewer main, call DeKalb Watershed's 24-hour line at 770-270-6243. 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; in most of these homes it is near the meter at the street or where the line enters the house. If the leak is at the meter, in the street, or sewage is coming up from the county main, DeKalb County Watershed Management takes water main breaks and sewer emergencies around the clock at 770-270-6243.
- 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 10% of the land inside North Decatur in the high-risk flood zone, mostly along Burnt Fork Creek, South Fork Peachtree Creek, and Glenn Creek. The map panels for this area took effect in 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 North Decatur
117
Homes in ZIP 30033 where FEMA inspectors found damage after the September 2009 floods, out of 137 owners who registered for aid. The total was about $269,000. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 added 11 more. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Burnt Fork Creek and the old waterworks
Ezekiel Mason built a mill on Burnt Fork Creek east of Clairmont Road. Today's 111-acre Mason Mill Park holds the ruins of the 1906 Decatur Waterworks, which supplied Decatur's drinking water until the 1940s.
Source: Wikipedia
Homes in North Decatur
The median home was built in 1977, and 53% before 1980. About 37% of homes are in buildings with 10 or more units, and the median owner-occupied value is about $474,600, so a slow leak behind a wall can be costly to repair.
234 flood insurance claims
Since 1978, the National Flood Insurance Program has recorded 234 flood claims on buildings in ZIP 30033. The most came in 2009, with 66, from the September 2009 floods. Of those, 64 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
Flash flood warnings in DeKalb County
The National Weather Service issued 75 flash flood warnings that included DeKalb County from 2016 through November 11, 2026. The year-by-year count is on the Candler-McAfee page.
Cost and insurance in North Decatur
How much does water damage restoration cost in North Decatur?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Basements and finished lower levels take longer.
Water removal and restoration in North Decatur
The company that answers handles water from Burnt Fork Creek and South Fork Peachtree Creek, storm runoff, and leaks in older ranch homes and condos, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
North Decatur questions
I live in a condo. Who handles a leak from the unit above?
Stop the water first, then tell the association or manager and the owner above. The association's master policy and your own condo policy split the repair in different ways, so photograph everything and call your agent. A restoration company can dry both units.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 30033, including North Decatur and nearby parts of the county. For North Druid Hills, see the North Druid Hills 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: