Emergency Plumbing in San Jose, CA

Who to call in San Jose

Leaks on the street side of the water meter, a broken main or no water on the whole street are for the water utility: in San Jose that is San Jose Water. Check its website or your water bill for its emergency line.

Leaks, backups and failures on your side of the meter, inside the house or in your sewer lateral, are a plumber's job. Call us and we connect you with an independent, licensed plumbing company that handles emergency calls in San Jose; when they can arrive depends on that company and the time of day.

Reporting a water emergency in San Jose

• San Jose Water asks customers not to use its online leak and water-waste forms for emergencies such as a water main break or a leak on personal property. Emergency events should be reported by calling San Jose Water at (408) 279-7900. [3]
• San Jose Water dispatches service inspectors to confirm each reported street leak and categorizes leaks by escalating severity as Code 1, 2 or 3, where Code 3 is a severe leak with gushing water. SJW says leaks that pose a threat to public safety are its first priority. [4]
• San Jose Water, which serves much of San Jose, has an online form for reporting leaks and water waste in the community. The company says that form must not be used for emergencies such as a water main break or a leak on your own property. Emergency events should be reported to San Jose Water by phone at (408) 279-7900. [5]

Other common plumbing calls in San Jose

• Water Softener Installation: homes served mostly by valley groundwater can see water above 16 grains per gallon, where softening protects heaters and fixtures.
• Water Heater Replacement: with the median home built in the mid-1970s, many houses are on their second or third water heater, and hard water shortens each one's life.
• Repiping: older galvanized and early copper supply lines in mid-century homes cause pressure loss and pinhole leaks.

San Jose facts behind this page

• San Jose Water reports hardness by source: groundwater averages about 16.8 grains per gallon (10.2 to 26.4), local mountain surface water about 9, and purchased imported water about 5.8 (4.5 to 8.5). [1]
• The median home in San Jose was built in 1976. [2]
• About 59% of San Jose's housing units were built before 1980, the era of galvanized steel supply pipe, cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals. [2]
• San Jose Water asks customers not to use its online leak and water-waste forms for emergencies such as a water main break or a leak on personal property. Emergency events should be reported by calling San Jose Water at (408) 279-7900. [3]
• San Jose Water dispatches service inspectors to confirm each reported street leak and categorizes leaks by escalating severity as Code 1, 2 or 3, where Code 3 is a severe leak with gushing water. SJW says leaks that pose a threat to public safety are its first priority. [4]
• San Jose Water, which serves much of San Jose, has an online form for reporting leaks and water waste in the community. The company says that form must not be used for emergencies such as a water main break or a leak on your own property. Emergency events should be reported to San Jose Water by phone at (408) 279-7900. [5]