If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
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See what a home warranty covers (Choice)Read the coverage and exclusions before you buy; not every repair qualifies.
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Default rule and exceptions
Split at the water meter. Per the City’s Lead & Copper Rule Revisions inventory, the customer-owned service line runs between the water meter and the home or business; the City-owned service line runs from the meter to the water main.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Own the service line between the water meter and the home or business. |
| City / public agency | The City owns the service line from the meter to the water main. |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 11, 2026.
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.
If the customer-owned service line meets the requirements for replacement, the City will work with the property owner to determine how it will be replaced.
The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of any portion of the water system from the meter.
City rules rest on state law. Read California's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for water service line in San Diego, CA?
Responsibility is shared. Own the service line between the water meter and the home or business.
What is this based on for San Diego, CA?
This verdict is sourced to Water Quality in Your Home or Business (Lead Service Line Inventory) and 3 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Water Quality in Your Home or Business (Lead Service Line Inventory)official · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
- Water Quality in Your Home or Business (customer-owned line replacement)official · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
- Your Home Plumbing: Water (owner from the meter)official · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
Spot an error? Challenge this record
Found an out-of-date code section, a wrong verdict, or a better primary source? Tell us. Corrections that check out are applied, with the change shown in history. That is our standing policy.