Guide Georgia (GA)

Georgia utility billing and RUBS: what landlords should know

By MeterEase · Updated October 14, 2026

Georgia lets building owners bill water and wastewater by submeter or economic allocation. O.C.G.A. § 12-5-180.1 allows either approach, caps total charges at what the owner paid plus a reasonable fee, and requires buildings permitted on or after July 1, 2012 to be built so each unit’s water use can be measured.

What the Georgia sources say

An owner may install equipment or use an economic allocation methodology to determine water used by tenants and common areas, and charge tenants separately for water and wastewater (O.C.G.A. § 12-5-180.1(a)).
Multiunit residential buildings permitted on or after July 1, 2012 must be built so each unit’s water use can be measured (§ 12-5-180.1(c)), and those buildings bill on measured use (§ 12-5-180.1(e)(1)).
Total charges to units may not exceed what the owner paid for water and wastewater, plus a reasonable fee for setting up, servicing and billing (§ 12-5-180.1(e)(3)).
The Georgia Attorney General’s consumer office notes the lease, or a document given before signing, should say how water is calculated.

Each point links to its source at the bottom of this page. Rules change, and cities, counties and utilities can add their own. Read the source before you rely on it.

Common lease and disclosure practices

Describe the method (submeter or allocation) in the lease or a document given before signing.
Disclose any billing fee.
Be ready to show the master bill. Tenants can compare their bill against the building total.

Electricity and gas

Section 12-5-180.1 covers water and wastewater. For electricity or gas, check your lease and local rules and your utility’s terms.

How to split it fairly

Where a formula split is allowed, pick one method, put it in the lease, and use it every month. Water tends to follow the number of people, so occupants or a blend of occupants and square footage is common. Trash is usually split equally per unit. Take common-area use out first if your rules call for it, and never bill tenants more in total than the master bill plus any fee your rules allow.

Run your units through the free RUBS calculator to see each tenant’s share.
Compare methods in square footage vs occupants.
Send each tenant the master bill total, the method, their factor and their amount. The tenant utility bill template shows a layout.
Want it done every month? Sign up for MeterEase and it emails each tenant their share with the source bill attached, after you check the numbers.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes public sources in plain English as of the date above. It is not legal advice and does not mean any billing method complies with the law for your property. Check your lease and local rules, and talk to a Georgia attorney if you are unsure.

Other states

Run this split every month without the spreadsheet

MeterEase reads the master bill PDF, applies your method and vacancy rule, and emails each tenant their share with the source bill attached, after you check the numbers. Plans start at $14/month.

Questions

Can Georgia landlords bill tenants for water by formula?

For buildings permitted before July 1, 2012, O.C.G.A. § 12-5-180.1 allows an economic allocation methodology. Newer buildings bill on each unit’s measured use. This is general information, not legal advice.

Can the total exceed the water bill?

Total charges may not exceed what the owner paid for water and wastewater plus a reasonable fee for setting up, servicing and billing.

What should the lease say?

How water usage will be calculated and any fee. The Attorney General’s consumer office says this should be in the lease or a document provided before signing.

Related guides

Sources

Example numbers on this page are made up to show the math. This guide is general information, not legal advice; rules differ by state, city and utility.