Photo: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Manchester, GA: what to set up and who to call
An EPA health-based violation from 2026 is still open for the Manchester water system. The nearest emergency room is Upson Regional Medical Center, 17.4 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Manchester, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Manchester.
Power comes from Georgia Power
Georgia Power (Georgia Power Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Manchester. Its homes paid an average of 16.3¢ per kWh in 2025, about $161 a month (its average across Georgia).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Manchester water system
The Manchester water system supplies almost all of Manchester. It draws surface water and serves 5,397 people in all.
2 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule), the latest beginning Feb 2026. 80% of the 5,012 systems serving 3,301–10,000 people had none. 1 older violation is still open, since 2026: a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule), per EPA’s records.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. GA1990003.
6 home internet providers serve Manchester
99% of 1,770 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 92% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windstream Georgia Communications | Fiber, DSL | 96% | 2,000/2,000 |
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 94% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Public Service Wireless | Fixed wireless | 75% | 50/10 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 64% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 24% | 25/3 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 9% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Manchester’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Manchester.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Most of Manchester (97%) is in Meriwether County School District; parts are in Talbot County School District (3%).
DSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Nov 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Manchester is in ZIP code 31816
ZIP codes where Manchester residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Manchester | ZIP’s residents in Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31816 | Manchester, GA | 100% | 71% |
A few homes fall in 31826.
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Manchester
Who supplies Manchester’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Manchester water system (EPA ID GA1990003). It reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), a disinfection byproducts requirement (Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule). 80% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Manchester?
Georgia Power (Georgia Power Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 16.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Manchester?
Windstream Georgia Communications, Spectrum, Public Service Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Manchester?
31816. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Manchester in?
Meriwether County School District. Parts of the city are in Talbot County School District.
How do I register to vote in Manchester?
In Georgia you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before). Elections here are run by the Meriwether County Board of Elections and Voter Registration. Check your registration at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.