Emergency Plumbing in Mountain View
24/7 Emergency Plumber in Mountain View, CA
Burst pipes, sewage backups, overflowing toilets and failed water heaters, day or night, for Mountain View homeowners from our San Jose shop: call (408) 978-3093 any time. Below is what's local: which City number to call for a leak or a sewer backup and when, where the City's pipe ends and yours begins, the same-day permits that speed up emergency replacements, and the City's leak credit.
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Emergency Plumbing Services for Mountain View Homes
Emergency Plumbing in Mountain View: What's Different
For most homes the City of Mountain View is both the water and the sewer utility, so the utility side of a plumbing emergency starts with its Public Services Division.
Two City numbers for a water leak
Public Services takes leak calls at (650) 903-6329, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On weekends and after hours, the City lists (650) 903-6395.
Sewer calls answered at all hours
If sewage comes up while nothing in the house is running, or reaches the street, the City main may be blocked. Call (650) 903-6329; the City says its wastewater crews respond at all hours.
The meter is the City's, the rest is yours
The meter in its box near the curb is City property. Service pipes and lines on the owner's side, and the whole sewer lateral to the City main, are the owner's to repair.
No smart-meter leak alerts yet
The City's switch to smart meters is still being planned, so no alert will warn you of a break. The meter's small triangle or star turning with everything off is the quickest leak check.
Same-day permits for emergency replacements
At single-family homes and duplexes, a water heater replacement, a water service line replacement or a repipe of existing lines can be permitted online the same day.
A leak credit once every three years
When a repaired leak pushed use into the third rate tier, City Code Sec. 35.27.1 lets that water be billed at the second-tier rate, for one billing period every three years.
A Homeowner’s Guide to Emergency Plumbing in Mountain View
Who to call first
Most Mountain View homes get water and sewer service from the City’s Public Works Department; a few areas are on California Water Service instead. Keep these numbers where you can find them:
| What’s happening | First call |
|---|---|
| Leak at the meter or in the street, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | City Public Services, (650) 903-6329 |
| Leak at the meter or in the street, weekends and after hours | City, (650) 903-6395 |
| Sewage rising with nothing running, or sewage in the street | City Public Services, (650) 903-6329, at all hours |
| Burst pipe, leak or backup on your side of the meter or main | CPI, (408) 978-3093, 24/7 |
| Gas smell | Leave, then 911 and PG&E, 1-800-743-5000 |
| Water service from Cal Water (Los Altos District) | (650) 917-0152 |
Burst pipes and water leaks
The meter in the concrete box near the curb belongs to the City (City Code Sec. 35.22). From there to the house, the service pipes and stopcocks are the owner’s to keep in repair at the owner’s expense (Sec. 35.10). A break in the yard line, a wall, a ceiling or under a floor is yours to have fixed; a break at the meter or in the street is the City’s.
Your first tool is the house shutoff valve, typically near a hose bib where the line enters the house. Test it before you need it. Once the water is off, we find the break and repair it, often on the first visit. See burst pipe repair and leak detection in Mountain View.
Mountain View doesn’t have smart meters yet; the City is still planning the switch. So no utility alert will flag a hidden leak. To check, turn off every fixture and watch the small triangle or star on the meter face: if it moves, water is escaping somewhere.
Sewage backups
The City clears its mains; owners clear their house plumbing and the whole lateral to the main. Where there’s a property-line cleanout, City crews will clean from it to the main as a courtesy.
Call the City at (650) 903-6329 when sewage comes up while nothing is running or shows up in the street: that points to the main. When the house backs up as you use water, the blockage is on your side. Stop running water, keep everyone away from the sewage, and call us. We clear the line from a cleanout and camera-inspect it to find the cause. PG&E asks plumbers to check a blocked sewer with a camera before clearing it, in case a gas line was bored through it, and to use a snake or water jet rather than a cutter. See drain cleaning in Mountain View.
Water heater failures
Close the cold water valve on top of the tank and turn off the gas control or breaker; a leaking tank can then usually wait for daylight. Replacement is quick to permit: the City’s online Same-Day Building Permit covers a gas or electric water heater replaced in the same location at a single-family home or duplex, and a heat pump water heater in a garage or enclosed storage area has its own same-day permit. Gas-for-gas replacement is still allowed with pre-wiring for a future heat pump. Silicon Valley Clean Energy also runs full-service and emergency water heater replacement programs. See water heater service in Mountain View.
What an emergency visit costs
After-hours 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. You approve the price before any work begins. Sometimes the best plan is to make it safe tonight and finish the repair during regular hours at regular prices. Repairs carry our 1-year labor warranty, and we’ve served the South Bay since 1986. See our service area.
Sources
City of Mountain View: Water and sewer FAQs · How to Read a Water Meter and Check for Leaks · Smart Meter Program · Water Credit Application (PS-116) · Same-Day Building Permits · Go Electric · Water Heater Forward. Mountain View City Code: Chapter 35, Water, Sewage and Other Municipal Services. PG&E: Sewer cleaning safety and gas leak guidance. Checked October and November 2026.
Emergency Plumbing Prices in Mountain View
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.
Emergency work in Mountain View 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. A break in the yard line or the sewer lateral is the owner's cost all the way to the City's meter or main.
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
Danny was very knowledgeable and efficient. Upon arriving onsite, Danny was able to assess the issue and designed a plan of action that allowed for the water to be turned back on in less than 30 mins. His work and skills speak for themselves. I highly recommend him. Thanks Danny!
Eddie C.Google review
Current Specials
Save on your visit. Mention the offer when you book.
- 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
- Sewer Line InspectionFREECamera inspectionGet Offer: Sewer Line InspectionLimit 1 per household. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for Sewer Line Inspection
- Water Heater Installation$250 OFFGet Offer: Water Heater InstallationLimit 1 per household. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for Water Heater Installation
- Second OpinionFREEAlready have a quote from another licensed plumber?Get Offer: Second OpinionFor customers with a quote from another licensed plumber. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for Second Opinion
- 12-Month Financing0%Interest for 12 monthsGet Offer: 12-Month FinancingThrough Synchrony, subject to financing approval. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for 12-Month Financing
- Seniors, Teachers & Healthcare Workers5% OFFSeniors 65+, teachers and healthcare workersGet Offer: Seniors, Teachers & Healthcare WorkersFor seniors 65+, teachers and healthcare workers. Expires January 15, 2028. See details for Seniors, Teachers & Healthcare Workers
Emergency Plumbing in Mountain View FAQs
A pipe burst in my Mountain View house after hours. Who do I call?
Close your house shutoff valve first, usually near a front hose bib or where the line enters the house, and keep clear of water near outlets. For a leak inside the house or in your yard line, call us at (408) 978-3093, any hour. If the water is coming from the meter or the street, or the house valve won't stop it, call the City: (650) 903-6395 on weekends and after hours, or (650) 903-6329 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. See burst pipe repair.
Sewage is coming up through a drain in Mountain View. City or plumber?
It depends on when it happens. If sewage rises out of a drain or toilet while nothing in the house is running, or you see it in the street, the City main may be blocked: call Public Services at (650) 903-6329, any hour, and move cars away from the front of the house so the crew can reach the line. If it backs up as you use water, the blockage is usually in your plumbing or lateral, which is yours to the main in Mountain View: stop using water and call us. See drain cleaning in Mountain View.
Water is bubbling up in my front yard. Whose problem is it?
If it's at the meter box or between the meter and the street, it's the City's: the meter is City property under City Code Sec. 35.22, so call Public Services. If it's between the meter and the house, it's your service line, which Sec. 35.10 makes the owner's to keep in repair. Replacing that line at a single-family home or duplex can be done on a Same-Day Building Permit, buried at least 12 inches. A few areas of the city get water from Cal Water's Los Altos District instead, (650) 917-0152. See water line replacement.
My water heater failed overnight. What permit does a replacement need in Mountain View?
Usually the simplest one the City has. A gas or electric water heater replaced in the same location at a single-family home or duplex, 30 to 150 gallons, qualifies for the City's online Same-Day Building Permit, with two seismic straps and, in a garage, controls at least 18 inches above the floor. A like-for-like gas replacement is still allowed with pre-wiring for a future heat pump unit. Meanwhile, close the cold water valve on the tank and turn off the gas or the breaker. See water heater service in Mountain View.
I smell gas. What should I do?
Leave first. PG&E's guidance for a suspected leak is to get everyone out to an upwind spot, avoid anything that could spark, including light switches, phones and cars, until you're a safe distance away, then call 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. Once the gas is shut off and the area is safe, we find and repair leaks in the house line and at appliances. See gas line services.
Can I get a credit on my Mountain View water bill after a burst pipe?
Sometimes. Under City Code Sec. 35.27.1, if the leak pushed your use into the third tier of the City's water rates, that water can be billed at the second-tier rate instead. It covers one billing period every three years, and you apply after the repair, once the bill for the leak period arrives, with the City's form PS-116; questions go to 650-903-6216. Keep our invoice as proof of the repair.
How much does emergency plumbing cost in Mountain View?
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 Mountain View? Call us.
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