Frequently Asked Questions

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 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.

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.

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.

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. The Planning Department can be contacted by phone at 858-375-9516 or email at Planning@delmar.ca.us.

The Public Works Department is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays to respond to problems with the city systems. The Public Works Department can be contacted at 858-755-3294. 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.

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!

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, 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.

To stop utility service, use the online request form or 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.

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.