Homeowner guide

Who to call for water and sewer problems in Newport Beach

Newport Beach has three water agencies and three sewer agencies. The right call depends on your address and on which side of the meter or cleanout the problem sits.

Call (949) 620-1945 Request service

Written and fact-checked by John, editor, MBA in marketing
Updated October 31, 2026 against City, utility and state sources

Quick answer

Most Newport Beach homes get water and sewer from the City: call (949) 644-3011, or Newport Beach Police at (949) 644-3717 after hours. Newport Coast and other southern areas are served by IRWD at (949) 453-5300, 24 hours. Some western parcels get water from Mesa Water, (949) 631-1200. Leaks and clogs on your side of the meter or in your private lateral are a plumber's job.

City water and sewer: (949) 644-3011
City after hours: Police (949) 644-3717
IRWD, 24 hours: (949) 453-5300
Gas emergency: SoCalGas 1-800-427-2200

Step one: find out who serves your address

Your water bill tells you who your water agency is. Newport Beach is split between three water providers and three sewer providers, and the boundaries do not follow neighborhood names.

City of Newport Beach Utilities provides water and sewer to most of the city.
Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) serves the southern half of Newport Beach, including all of Newport Coast. IRWD also provides sewer service to Newport Coast, Newport Ridge, The Bluffs and areas along State Route 73.
Mesa Water District provides water to some parcels in the city.
Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) provides sewer service to a few parcels on the western and northern edges of the city.

The City publishes a water service area map that shows the three water agencies. If you are a renter, your landlord or property manager can tell you which agency bills the building.

Water and sewer numbers to save in your phone

Newport Beach water, sewer and gas contacts, verified October 2026
Agency	What they handle	Phone	After hours
City of Newport Beach Utilities	City water mains, valves and meters; City sewer mains, lateral blockage calls, sewer spills	(949) 644-3011	Newport Beach Police, (949) 644-3717, who dispatch an emergency crew
City of Newport Beach Water District (fire flow and service questions)	Water service information	(949) 644-3141	Use the after hours line above
Irvine Ranch Water District	Water and sewer in IRWD areas, including Newport Coast	(949) 453-5300	Same number, for waterline breaks and urgent issues
Mesa Water District	Water in Mesa Water areas	(949) 631-1200	Same number after hours
Costa Mesa Sanitary District	Sewer for its Newport Beach parcels	(949) 645-8400	Call the main number for current instructions
SoCalGas	Gas leaks and gas emergencies	1-800-427-2200	24 hours
DigAlert	Marking underground utilities before digging	811	Call before any digging

Water leaks: what the agency fixes and what you fix

The water meter is the dividing line. The agency handles the public side. The line from the meter to your house is private.

The City says it is responsible for the maintenance and operation of its water mains and valves located underground. It asks residents to call (949) 644-3011 right away for leaks, water seeping through asphalt and leaking fire hydrants.

California's plumbing contractor classification makes the same split from the other direction. A C-36 plumbing contractor's work includes "water and gas piping from the property owner's side of the utility meter to the structure." In plain terms, a leak between the meter and your house, or anywhere inside the house, is a job for a plumber.

Who typically handles common water problems
What you see	Likely cause	Who to call first
Water bubbling up in the street, sidewalk or parkway	Main or public service line leak	Your water agency
Water pooling between the meter box and the house	Leak in your private service line	A plumber
Water leaking inside the meter box	Meter or meter connection	Your water agency
No water at all, neighbors also out	Main break or planned shutoff	Your water agency
No water, only your house	Closed valve, failed pressure regulator or private line break	Check your house valve, then a plumber
High bill, meter moves with everything off	Hidden leak on your side	A plumber for leak detection
Brown or cloudy water from every tap	Main flushing or a nearby break	Your water agency
Brown water from hot taps only	Water heater sediment or a failing tank	A plumber

Sewer backups: the lateral is usually yours

A sewer lateral is the pipe that carries wastewater from your house to the public sewer main. Most backups in Newport Beach start there.

Here is what each sewer agency publishes about the lateral:

City of Newport Beach. The City asks you to call (949) 644-3011 for lateral blockages, broken or noisy manhole lids and sewer spills, and the police line after hours. It says a cleanout is required on the property and serves as the access point for a plumber or City staff to try to clear blockages in your lateral. The City's wastewater pages do not spell out how lateral repair costs are split, so ask the City about your specific situation.
IRWD. IRWD states that customers are responsible for all maintenance of the sewer lower lateral, and that it works with the customer to determine needed repairs when a lateral fails. Details are in Section 4.15.2 of IRWD's Rules and Regulations.
Costa Mesa Sanitary District. CMSD's permit materials require contractors to video inspect an existing lateral being reused and repair any deficiencies. We could not find a CMSD page that states lateral ownership in plain terms, so call CMSD at (949) 645-8400 to confirm for your parcel.

Stop using water
Every flush adds to the backup. Tell everyone in the house to stop using toilets, showers, the washer and the dishwasher.
Check if it is just you
Ask a neighbor or look for an overflowing manhole in the street. If sewage is coming out of a manhole or the street, call your sewer agency right away.
Look at your cleanout
If it is safe, check the cleanout in the yard. Water standing in it usually means the blockage is downstream, between the cleanout and the main.
Call the right party
Street side problem: your sewer agency. Private lateral or house drain: a plumber. If you are not sure, start with the agency during business hours; they can often tell you whether the main is clear.
Get it on camera
Once the line is cleared, a sewer camera inspection shows why it happened, such as roots, a belly, a broken joint or sand from flooding. See sewer line camera and repair.

Common situations and who handles them

Sewage coming out of a street manhole

That is a public sewer spill. Call your sewer agency immediately. For City sewer after hours, call the police line so a crew can contain it.

Toilets and tubs backing up in one house

Usually a blockage in your lateral or main house drain. Call a plumber. If the street is flooded, wait until it drains before running water.

Water hissing at the meter box

Call your water agency. Do not dig around or inside the meter box yourself.

Wet spot on the lawn between meter and house

Usually a private service line leak. A plumber can confirm with a meter test and locate the leak.

Gas smell near the meter or water heater

Leave the area and call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 or 911 from outside. A plumber repairs house piping and appliance connections after it is safe.

Flooded street during a king tide

Street flooding and storm drains are City matters. Inside your property, follow our king tide plumbing guide.

A two minute meter test to find out whose leak it is

Turn everything off
Make sure no faucets, toilets, irrigation, pool fill or ice makers are running.
Read the meter
Open the meter box lid and look at the dial or digital display. Many meters have a small leak indicator that spins when water moves.
Close your house shutoff
If the meter still moves with the house valve closed, the leak is in the line between the meter and the house. If it stops, the leak is inside the house or in irrigation.
Call with what you saw
Tell us what the meter did. It helps us bring the right equipment for leak detection on the first visit.

What to have ready when you call

A few details help the agency or the plumber send the right crew the first time.

Your service address and the agency name from your water or sewer bill
Where you see water or sewage: street, sidewalk, meter box, yard, cleanout or inside
Whether neighbors have the same problem
What you have already shut off: main valve, water heater, gas
What your meter does with everything off
Photos, if it is safe to take them
Whether the street is flooded or a king tide is underway

If you cannot find your main shutoff, look where the water line enters the house, often in the garage or on an outside wall near the front. Many homes also have a pressure regulator nearby. If you have no water only in your house and the main is open, a failed regulator is a common cause and a plumbing repair.

Renters, condos and HOAs

About half of Newport Beach homes are renter occupied, and many owners live in condos with shared lines. Who pays depends on your lease or your HOA's governing documents, not on the water agency.

Renters: report leaks and backups to your landlord or property manager in writing, and shut off water at the fixture if you safely can.
Condo owners: a leak from a shared stack or a common line is usually an HOA matter. A leak from your own fixture or water heater is usually yours. Check your CC&Rs.
Vacation rental owners: post the main shutoff location and an emergency number where guests will see it.

When you are ready for a plumber, call (949) 620-1945. We give you an honest arrival window and a written price before work starts.

Water where it shouldn't be? Call now.

A real person answers 24 hours a day. You get an honest arrival window and a written price before any work starts.

Call (949) 620-1945 Request service

Questions Newport Beach homeowners ask

Who do I call for a water emergency in Newport Beach after hours?

If you are a City water customer, call the Newport Beach Police Department at (949) 644-3717 after hours and on weekends. They dispatch a City crew. IRWD customers call (949) 453-5300 and Mesa Water customers call (949) 631-1200, both answered around the clock.

How do I know if I have City, IRWD or Mesa Water service?

Look at your water bill; the agency name is on it. Newport Coast is served by IRWD. Most of the rest of the city is City of Newport Beach water, and Mesa Water serves some parcels. The City also publishes a water service area map.

Who is responsible for the water line from the meter to my house?

The property owner. The water agency maintains the mains and its meter. Piping on the owner's side of the meter is private, and repairing it is plumbing contractor work.

Who is responsible for my sewer lateral in Newport Beach?

In most cases the property owner handles the private lateral. IRWD says customers are responsible for all maintenance of the sewer lower lateral. The City asks you to call (949) 644-3011 for lateral blockages and requires a cleanout on the property. Ask your agency about your parcel.

Will the City clear my sewer line for free?

The City responds to lateral blockage calls and sewer spills, and its staff may try to clear blockages through your cleanout. It does not publish a promise to repair private laterals, so call (949) 644-3011 to ask how it handles your case.

Does Newport Beach have lead service lines?

The City's 2026 water quality report says its inventory, completed in 2024, found no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement in the City's distribution system. Older homes can still have galvanized pipe inside the property.

What number do I call for a sewer spill in Newport Beach?

For City sewer, call (949) 644-3011 during business hours or the Newport Beach Police Department at (949) 644-3717 after hours. IRWD customers call (949) 453-5300. Costa Mesa Sanitary District can be reached at (949) 645-8400.

Who do I call if I smell gas?

Leave the building first, then call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 or 911 from outside. Do not use switches or open flames inside. A plumber can repair the gas line or appliance connection once SoCalGas makes it safe.

Sources

Facts on this page come from these public sources, checked October 31, 2026.