# Water Service Line Repair in San Jose, CA: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In most of San Jose, San Jose Water owns the line to the meter coupling; the customer owns from the meter to the house.

**Who pays:** shared

In most of San Jose, the water utility (San Jose Water) owns the line up to the meter outlet coupling; the customer owns everything from there to the house.

**Boundary:** Split at the meter outlet coupling. San Jose Water (SJW) owns the pipes from the water main to the meter outlet coupling; the customer owns the service line from the meter to the house (CPUC Rule 16). CAVEAT: SJW is the investor-owned utility serving most, not all, of San Jose; a few districts are served by the City’s municipal system.

**Property owner:** Maintain the service line from the meter (SJW’s coupling) to the house, per CPUC Rule 16.

**City / agency:** San Jose Water maintains the pipes from the water main to the meter outlet coupling.

**Exceptions:** Applies to the San Jose Water Company service area (most of the city); a few districts are on the City municipal system

## Sources
- [Who’s Responsible for What: SJW to the meter outlet coupling](https://www.sjwater.com/work-with-us/builders-contractors/whos-responsible-for-what/) — "San Jose Water Responsibility – SJW is responsible for the pipes that bring water from the water main located under the street, all the way to the meter outlet coupling." (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [Who’s Responsible for What: customer from the coupling to the house](https://www.sjwater.com/work-with-us/builders-contractors/whos-responsible-for-what/) — "Customer Responsibility – Customers are responsible for everything from the connection of their service line to SJW’s coupling." (accessed 2026-09-11)

_Last verified 2026-09-12. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/san-jose-ca-water-service-line/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._