Emergency Plumbing in Fremont
24/7 Emergency Plumber in Fremont, CA
Burst pipes, sewage backups, leaking water heaters and lost water service for Fremont homeowners, answered 24/7 at (408) 978-3093 from our shop in San Jose. Below is who handles what in Fremont: the water district for the street and meter, the sanitary district for the public sewer, PG&E for gas, and where your own pipes begin.
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Emergency Plumbing Services for Fremont Homes
Emergency Plumbing in Fremont: What's Different
Fremont has no City water or sewer department; two districts that also serve Newark and Union City answer those emergencies, and everything on your side of their pipes is yours.
Water in the street or at the meter? ACWD
Alameda County Water District takes water emergencies around the clock at 510-668-6500 and sends a field representative. ACWD is responsible up to and including the meter.
Your house valve is in the front yard
ACWD says the house valve is usually ahead of the front-yard spigot, with a red, grey or green wagon-wheel handle. Turn it clockwise to close. Older homes may have it elsewhere.
Sewage outside? Union Sanitary District
USD answers (510) 477-7500 24 hours a day (extension 1 after hours) and checks its public main free of charge. Don't open a manhole yourself, USD warns.
Past the meter and the whole lateral are yours
Pipes on the customer side of the ACWD meter belong to the owner, and so does the entire sewer lateral, from the house to USD's main under the street.
Gas smell: leave first
Get everyone out, then call 9-1-1 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. PG&E maintains its system through the meter; gas piping from the meter to your appliances is yours.
Express permit for the follow-up repair
Replacing a water heater, or repairing a gas line or water and waste lines in the same location, falls under Fremont's Residential Plumbing express permit, issued online through Citizen Access.
A Homeowner’s Guide to Emergency Plumbing in Fremont
First steps, in order
- Stop the water. For a burst pipe or failed supply line, close the fixture valve if there is one, or the house valve in the front yard. For a leaking water heater, close the cold water valve on top of the tank and turn the gas control to off, or switch off its breaker.
- Stay clear of electricity. Keep away from water near outlets, appliances and the panel.
- Stop using drains if sewage is backing up, the washer and dishwasher included.
- Gas smell: leave first, then call 9-1-1 and PG&E.
- Call us at (408) 978-3093, any hour. We’ll help you decide whether it needs a plumber tonight or can wait for a regular appointment.
Who to call in Fremont
The City of Fremont doesn’t run its own water or sewer system, so the right call depends on where the problem is:
- Water leaking in the street, at a hydrant or near the meter: Alameda County Water District (ACWD), 510-668-6500, around the clock. Customer service is 510-668-4200 during business hours.
- Sewage overflowing outdoors, or several homes backing up: Union Sanitary District (USD), (510) 477-7500, 24 hours a day; extension 1 after hours.
- Gas: PG&E, 1-800-743-5000, after 9-1-1.
- Anything on your side of the meter or in your lateral: a plumber. That’s us.
ACWD is responsible for the main, the service line to the meter, and the meter. Everything from the meter connection into the house, irrigation included, is the owner’s.
Burst pipes and hidden leaks
Fremont grew fastest from the early 1950s through the 1960s, and homes of that age often still carry galvanized steel supply pipe. ACWD notes that galvanized pipe was often installed before 1960 and corrodes from the inside over time. A pipe that bursts in a wall or under a slab may be a sign of more to come. See burst pipe repair and leak detection.
Not every leak announces itself with water on the floor. ACWD’s smart meters report through My Smart Water Connect, which can flag continuous use, a common sign of a hidden leak.
Make sure your house valve works before you need it: ACWD recommends testing it from time to time and having a plumber repair or replace one that won’t turn or spins freely.
Sewage backups
When sewage rises in a shower or floor drain, USD will check its public main free of charge. If its main is flowing, the blockage is in your lateral, and in Fremont the owner is responsible for all of it, from the house to the main under the street. We clear it from the cleanout, by cable or hydro jetting, and can run a camera to find out why it happened. USD’s advice for preventing the next one: flush only toilet paper and human waste, and put every wipe in the trash, even one labeled flushable. See drain cleaning in Fremont.
After the emergency: repairs and permits
Often we stop the damage the same night and finish the repair during regular hours. Fremont’s Residential Plumbing express permit, applied for through Citizen Access and issued automatically, covers repairing or replacing a water heater, a gas line, or water and waste lines in the same location. Relocating or adding lines needs a regular building permit. A broken sewer lateral needs USD’s repair permit before any work outside the building, even on private property. See sewer line repair in Fremont, water heater service in Fremont and all our plumbing services in Fremont.
Sources
Alameda County Water District: Water emergencies · Frequently asked questions (shutting off your water; whose pipes are whose; meter leaks) · Whose pipes are whose? · Galvanized service line leaks · Finding and fixing leaks. Union Sanitary District: Sewer Repairs · Non-Flushables. City of Fremont: Permit types · Historic context of Glenmoor Gardens and Mission Ranch subdivisions (2009). PG&E: Gas safety · Maintain gas lines beyond the meter. Checked October and November 2026.
Emergency Plumbing Prices in Fremont
Most repairs are quoted as a fixed price before we start, so you approve the cost before any work begins. These are typical prices for common jobs in our service area.
| Service | Typical price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Drain cleaning (snaking) | $250–$600 |
| Toilet repair | $150–$600 |
| Leak detection, typical accessible leak | $150–$600 |
| Hydro jetting, main sewer line | $1,500–$2,500 |
| Sewer spot repair | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Inspection feeWaived for service plan members | $59 |
Prices are installed, before any current special, and depend on access, materials and what we find.
After hours, most emergency work is quoted as a fixed price before we start, typically based on $200–$300 per hour, plus parts and drive time, with a minimum charge. In Fremont a sewer backup can run all the way to USD's main under the street, which is still the owner's pipe, so clearing it can take longer than a fixture clog.
Get a free estimate →I called your emergency number first thing Saturday morning and Dustin called me right back. He went out there late morning and found a hole in the drain pipe and a backup nearby that was making the leak even worse. He snaked the line and temporarily patched the line so gases wouldn’t escape. He said I would need to get restoration out there to (again) dry out the crawlspace before CPI could replace the drain pipe. It is plastic not cast iron apparently.
Dustin was really great, communicative, and helpful. Really appreciated his work.
Sachin B.Google review
Danny fixed a broken flange before a water meter that had caused a huge water geyser. He was calm and put in a new flange quickly and effectively. Love working with Danny, who is skilled, knowledgeable, and friendly!
Julie Q.Google review
I had a cold water pipe break in the ceiling. Isaac did amazing work. He is very skillful and efficient! The time and material charge is reasonable. I highly recommend him and this company if you ever need plumbing work.
LHYelp review
Current Specials
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- Any Plumbing Service$50 OFFGet Offer: Any Plumbing ServiceLimit 1 per household. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for Any Plumbing Service
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Emergency Plumbing in Fremont FAQs
Water is leaking in the street or at my meter in Fremont. Who do I call?
Alameda County Water District, at 510-668-6500. ACWD staffs that line around the clock for leaks in the street and near the meter, and it is responsible for the pipes on the street side of the meter and for the meter itself. A leak on your side of the meter, in the yard or the house, is yours to repair; call us at (408) 978-3093. See water line repair.
How do I shut off the water to my Fremont house?
Close the house valve. ACWD says it's usually just ahead of the water spigot in the front yard, with a red, grey or green handle shaped like a wagon wheel; turn it clockwise to close and counterclockwise to open. Older homes may have it somewhere else. If the valve won't turn or spins freely, ACWD says a plumber should repair or replace it, so test it before an emergency.
Sewage is coming up in my Fremont home. What should I do?
Stop using every fixture, including the washer and dishwasher, and keep people and pets away from the water. Call Union Sanitary District at (510) 477-7500 (extension 1 after hours): it inspects its public main free of charge. If the main is clear, the stoppage is in your lateral, which is yours to clear; we answer 24/7. See drain cleaning in Fremont.
I smell gas in my Fremont home. Should I call a plumber?
Not first. Leave the house, then call 9-1-1 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 from a safe distance. Once PG&E has made it safe, the gas piping from the meter to your appliances is the owner's to repair, which we do. See gas line services.
Do emergency repairs in Fremont need a permit?
Many do, though the water can be stopped first. Fremont's Residential Plumbing express permit, issued automatically through Citizen Access, covers replacing a water heater and repairing a gas line or water and waste lines in the same location. Moving or adding lines needs a regular building permit, and any repair to the sewer lateral outside the house needs Union Sanitary District's permit.
A galvanized pipe burst in my Fremont house. Patch it or repipe?
A burst gets repaired the same day where we can. ACWD notes that galvanized steel pipe, often installed before 1960, corrodes over time, and suggests having a plumber check pipes more than 40 years old. If one section has failed, others may follow, so we'll tell you what we see. See burst pipe repair and repiping.
How much does emergency plumbing cost in Fremont?
Most jobs are quoted as a fixed price before we start, so you know the cost up front. Typical prices: drain cleaning (snaking) $250–$600; toilet repair $150–$600; leak detection, typical accessible leak $150–$600; hydro jetting, main sewer line $1,500–$2,500; sewer spot repair $2,000–$5,000. The inspection fee is $59, waived for service plan members.
Need an emergency plumber in Fremont? Call us.
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