| Repair | Who pays | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Claim Against the City: Sewer Backup and Flooding | Depends | San Diego lists sewer main back-ups and flooding among claims filed with Risk Management; most claims are due within six months of the incident. |
| Sewer Lateral | Property owner | In San Diego the property owner maintains the sewer lateral all the way to the City main, even past the property line. |
| Sidewalk Repair | Shared | In San Diego responsibility is shared by cause: the City owns tree, utility, grade and heat damage; the owner owns normal wear and tear and private-tree damage. |
| Storm Season: Free Sandbags | Shared | San Diego makes empty sandbags available at recreation centers, limited to 10 bags per household or business. Sand is not provided, so buy your own. |
| Street Tree / Parkway | Shared | San Diego controls street trees and pays to fix root damage once notified, but owners trim their own frontage trees. |
| Tree Roots | Shared | San Diego tree root damage: the City is responsible when a right-of-way tree did it; the owner pays for private trees, age, and normal wear. |
| Water Service Line | Shared | San Diego splits the water service line at the meter: customer owns meter-to-house, City owns meter-to-main. |
Claim Against the City: Sewer Backup and Flooding
San Diego accepts claims for sewer main back-ups and flooding; most must be presented within six months of the incident.
Water main breaks and flooding. Sewer main back-ups and flooding.
Source: Public Liability
Sewer Lateral
In San Diego the property owner maintains the sewer lateral all the way to the City main, even where that connection sits in the street, an easement, or a canyon.
The sewerage system for a home or property is connected to the City sewer main through a sewer lateral. The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of that lateral from the property all the way to the connection with the sewer main.
Source: Your Home Plumbing: Sewer (owner maintains lateral to the main)
Sidewalk Repair
San Diego: responsibility is shared by cause, the City owns tree/utility/grade/heat damage, the owner owns wear-and-tear and private-tree damage.
The City of San Diego Transportation Department is responsible for maintenance of sidewalks fronting City-owned property or damage caused by heat expansion, City utility work, grade subsidence and trees within the right-of-way. Normal sidewalk wear and tear, damage caused by private trees, or age damage is the...
Storm Season: Free Sandbags
San Diego makes empty sandbags available at recreation centers, up to 10 per household or business; sand is not provided.
If needed, empty sandbags are available at the following recreation centers.
Source: Storm Preparedness
Street Tree / Parkway
San Diego's Park and Recreation Department controls all street trees and pays to remove or remedy one damaging a sidewalk once notified, though owners must trim their own frontage trees and get a permit for other work.
The Park and Recreation Department shall exercise jurisdiction and control over the planting, maintenance, care and removal of trees, or plants in all streets or other public rights of way of The City of San Diego...
Tree Roots
San Diego splits it by the tree: right-of-way street trees are the City’s problem, private trees and plain old age are yours.
The City of San Diego Transportation Department is responsible for maintenance of sidewalks fronting City-owned property or damage caused by heat expansion, City utility work, grade subsidence and trees within the right-of-way. Normal sidewalk wear and tear, damage caused by private trees, or age damage is the...
Source: City of San Diego Transportation: Sidewalk maintenance responsibility
Water Service Line
San Diego splits the water service line at the meter: the customer owns the pipe from the meter to the building, the City owns the meter-to-main portion.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) require the City to identify the pipe material of the customer-owned service lines between the water meter and your home or business and the City-owned service line to the water main.
Source: Water Quality in Your Home or Business (Lead Service Line Inventory)
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