State guide
California
California’s Division of Drinking Water regulates public drinking water systems, and the State Water Board maintains both a statewide service-line inventory page and a lead-service-line funding page. On the official utility pages I found for Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San José, homeowner responsibility generally begins at or beyond the meter, while the utility side runs from the main to the meter or meter box.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who usually owns the water service line
- In the California state and utility pages found, the common split is utility responsibility from the main to the meter or meter box, with the owner responsible from the meter to the house or for all piping beyond the meter.
- State drinking water program
- California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water
- State lead service line page
- Official page →
- Permits for repair or replacement
- California’s DDW issues permits for public water systems, while homeowner repair permitting is largely local; for example, San José says a plumbing permit is required to add or replace plumbing systems or modify pipe configuration.
- Assistance programs
- California’s state lead service line funding program says full replacement of both public and privately owned lead service lines, related appurtenances, site restoration, temporary filters, and permit fees can be eligible through water-system projects.
Official resources in California
Main state drinking water program page for the Division of Drinking Water.
Official statewide lead service line inventory page with accepted public-water-system submissions.
State funding page describing eligible inventory and full replacement work, including public and private portions.
States LADWP ownership and maintenance of service laterals and meters and says the customer is responsible beyond the meter.
Explains SFPUC’s utility-side lead program and states that the private pipe between meter and house is the homeowner’s responsibility.
Key facts for California
- California DDW regulates public drinking water systems.
- California’s statewide service-line inventory page says 4,022 of 4,309 systems had reported accepted inventories.
- California Health and Safety Code page says a user service line does not include the line from the meter to individual homes.
- The state lead-service-line funding program allows full replacement of both publicly owned and privately owned lead service lines.
- LADWP says the service lateral and meter are City property under LADWP control.
- San José says property owners are responsible for pipes inside the building and outside down to the meter box by the street.
Utility water service line rules in California
| Utility | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Water Board — Lead Service Line Replacement Program Sacramento | Sacramento | (916) 327-9978 | General inquiries line for the state lead service line funding program. |
| Los Angeles Department of Water and Power — Water New Business Arrangements Group Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Not published* | Contact listed on LADWP’s single-family water service document for questions about water and meter service. |
| City of San José Municipal Water System Santa Clara | San José | Not published* | City FAQ says to call this number in San José Muni Water’s service area for meter-box or street-side issues. |
| City of San José Customer Contact Center Santa Clara | San José | Not published* | 24-hour number to report a water emergency or leak. |
| San Francisco Public Utilities Commission — Lead Programs San Francisco | San Francisco | Not published* | SFPUC lead-program contact listed on the Lead User Service Line Replacement FAQ. |
| SFPUC Customer Services San Francisco | San Francisco | (415) 551-3000 | Customer service phone listed on SFPUC water-account materials. |
| SFPUC New Service Installations San Francisco | San Francisco | Not published* | Schedules inspections and account setup for new water service installations. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use the state service-line inventory tool first, then check your local utility’s address lookup or FAQ for the private-side cutoff point.
- If your line replacement may disturb private plumbing, ask your city building department whether a plumbing permit is required before work starts.
- If your utility identifies lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement material, ask whether state LSL funding is being used for full replacement including the private portion.
Not seeing your utility or county?
We list a utility only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across California, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from California's population center, for comparison only):
- Las Vegas Valley Water District Customer Care, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Las Vegas Valley Water District Customer Care, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Las Vegas Valley Water District Water Line Protection Program, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.California State Water Quality Control Board — Lead Service Line Replacement Funding Program
Website →Phone: (916) 327-9978 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the California page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the water line to your house?
- The curb stop, meter and property line, explained
- Water line leak in your yard: what to do
- Water service line replacement costs
Water line responsibility check →