Free to requestGreenville County and the UpstateRequests dispatched to local pros
  1. Home
  2. Service areas

Septic and well help across Greenville County

We take requests from all over Greenville County and the nearby Upstate. A lot of the county is not on sewer, especially the rural, unzoned parts. Here is where we cover, how to tell whether your house is on septic, and who handles permits for your county.

Published by Keegan Sullivan, Greenville SC. Facts checked against SCDES and state rules. Updated .

Rolling pastures, pine woods and scattered homes in northern Greenville County with the Blue Ridge foothills in the distance

Cities in Greenville County

  • Greenville
  • Greer
  • Mauldin
  • Simpsonville
  • Fountain Inn
  • Travelers Rest

Communities around them

  • Taylors
  • Five Forks
  • Berea
  • Piedmont
  • Slater-Marietta
  • Tigerville
  • Gowensville
  • Welcome
  • Parker
  • Wade Hampton
  • Gantt
  • Conestee
  • Golden Grove
  • Cleveland

Plus nearby parts of Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, and Laurens counties. If you are not sure whether you are in range, send the request anyway with your ZIP.

Septic or sewer? Where each one is

Public sewer in unincorporated Greenville County is run by MetroConnects, which became the only sewer collection provider outside the cities after several smaller sewer districts merged into it. The cities of Greenville, Mauldin, Fountain Inn, and Simpsonville, and Greer's utility, run their own systems, and ReWa treats the wastewater for all of them.

Outside those systems, homes are on septic. The county has described the unzoned, rural part of the county (around two-thirds of its land) as an area where central sewer is largely unavailable, and that includes much of the north. To check a specific property, use the MetroConnects service map for unincorporated areas or call the city that serves you.

Wells

Greenville Water serves most of the county's populated core and parts of neighboring counties. Homes outside it are served by another water system or rely on a private well. Our well guide covers drilling, permits, and testing.

Who handles septic permits by county

SCDES septic offices for the Upstate
CountyOfficePhone
GreenvilleGreenville/Spartanburg(864) 372-3273
SpartanburgGreenville/Spartanburg(864) 372-3273
PickensGreenville/Spartanburg(864) 372-3273
AndersonAnderson(864) 260-5585
LaurensGreenwood(864) 227-5915

From the SCDES list of septic offices by county.

Building on rural land in Greenville County

New subdivisions of 10 or more lots on septic in the unzoned county need lots of at least 1.5 acres under rules adopted in 2024. Building a single home on an existing lot is not affected. Either way, the septic permit comes before the building permit; the installation guide walks through it.

Questions people ask

What areas does this guide cover?

Greenville County and the nearby Upstate. That includes Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, and Travelers Rest, the unincorporated communities around them, and nearby parts of Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, and Laurens counties.

How do I know if my house is on septic or sewer?

If you get a sewer bill, you are on sewer. If not, check with the sewer provider: MetroConnects has an online map for unincorporated Greenville County, and the cities run their own sewer service.

Which SCDES office handles septic permits for my county?

Greenville, Spartanburg, and Pickens counties are handled by the Greenville/Spartanburg office at (864) 372-3273. Anderson County has its own office at (864) 260-5585, and Laurens County is handled by the Greenwood office at (864) 227-5915.

Wherever you are in the Upstate, tell us what you need and where the property is.

Request a quote

Sources

We check state and county rules against the source. Rules change, so confirm with the office that issues the permit before you act.

Septic or well problem?Request a quote