FAQs • Del Mar, CA • CivicEngage

I noticed a lot of water in the street that appears to be sewage. What do I do?: If sewage is spilling into your yard, street, or drainage system, please immediately contact the City of Del Mar Public Works Department at 858-755-3294 or after hours, contact the North County Dispatch JPA at 858-756-1126 which provides dispatch services for both emergency and non-emergency calls.

It is critically important to protect our beaches and lagoons from sewer contamination. Public Works will investigate, and if the public sewer main is clogged, we will immediately work to open the system and clean up any spilled sewage. If the problem is in a private lateral, the property owner will be required to contract privately for repairs and clean up. Your sewer lateral is defined as that portion from your home to the city's sewer main, including that part within the street and easement. The costs for installation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewer connection to the public sewer main in a public street, alley, or easement (sewer service lateral), shall be the responsibility of the property owner.

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Sewer Service

1. I noticed a lot of water in the street that appears to be sewage. What do I do?: If sewage is spilling into your yard, street, or drainage system, please immediately contact the City of Del Mar Public Works Department at 858-755-3294 or after hours, contact the North County Dispatch JPA at 858-756-1126 which provides dispatch services for both emergency and non-emergency calls.

It is critically important to protect our beaches and lagoons from sewer contamination. Public Works will investigate, and if the public sewer main is clogged, we will immediately work to open the system and clean up any spilled sewage. If the problem is in a private lateral, the property owner will be required to contract privately for repairs and clean up. Your sewer lateral is defined as that portion from your home to the city's sewer main, including that part within the street and easement. The costs for installation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewer connection to the public sewer main in a public street, alley, or easement (sewer service lateral), shall be the responsibility of the property owner.

2. How can I have my sewer cleaned?: If it is determined that blockage is within your service line that attaches to the city main, then you will need to contact a plumber to clean your system of blockage. To keep sewer line problems to a minimum, limit the amount of green waste put in your garbage disposal by recycling and composting. Also, use old milk cartons or coffee cans to dispose of cooking grease as it will also help to keep your sewer clean.

3. Can the city help me find my sewer lateral?: No. The private sewer lateral is not city installed and therefore, we have no information available. In order to locate your sewer lateral, you will need to contact a private plumber.

4. How should I repair my private sewer line?: Call a plumber for private maintenance. If excavation is required on a public right of way, a permit will be needed. Have your plumber contact the City of Del Mar Planning Department for an encroachment permit prior to excavation in the public street right of way.

5. Where do I go for sewer / water help after hours?: The Public Works Department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays to respond to problems with the city systems. Emergency staff is always on call after business hours and can be reached by contacting the North County Dispatch JPA at 858-756-1126, which provides after hours dispatch services for both emergency and non-emergency calls. For your private systems, many plumbers offer after-hours service. Please see your local telephone yellow pages directory for further information.

6. Who do I call if I have a sewer back up?: Sewer back-ups are usually due to clogged plumbing in residential pipes. Please call a private plumber. If the City's system is suspected to be the problem, on week days between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., call Public Works. If you are calling after hours, please contact the North County Dispatch JPA at 858-756-1126, which provides after hours dispatch services for both emergency and non-emergency calls. Please do not call 911!

7. How do I start utility service?: To start utility service, please contact the Finance Department at 858-755-9354. You will need to fill out, complete, and submit a utility service application, which may be obtained via website, mail, fax, or in person. The start of utility service does require a $100 deposit which is billed to the account and will appear on your first billing statement.

8. How do I stop utility service?: To stop utility service, contact the Finance Department at 858-755-9354. Information required for stopping utility service is the stop date and forwarding address for the closing utility service bill.

9. How can I put utilities underground in my neighborhood?: For further information regarding how you can put utilities underground in your neighborhood, please contact the City Managers office for a copy of a Utilities Undergrounding Guide. Additionally, you may either stop by the City Hall or contact us at 858-755-9313.