Plumbers in Lakeside, CA

Getting oriented

Lakeside lies about 18 miles from downtown San Diego in a straight line, just past El Cajon and Santee in East County. It is unincorporated, and the 2020 Census counted 21,152 people in the Lakeside CDP. The wider area takes in Eucalyptus Hills, Moreno Valley, Muth Valley and Wintergardens, with Riverford Road among the local routes.

Two water districts, one town

San Diego LAFCO lists Lakeside Water District as serving Lakeside along with Eucalyptus Hills, Moreno Valley, Muth Valley and Wintergardens, while Padre Dam Municipal Water District also serves parts of Lakeside together with Crest, Harbison Canyon, Blossom Valley and Alpine. Which one you have depends on your street address, so check your water bill.

Lakeside Water District's report describes chloramine disinfection and a supply made mostly of Water Authority treated surface water delivered through Helix Water District's Levy plant, plus imported water from the Skinner plant and local Santee-El Monte Basin groundwater that the district treats for iron and manganese at its Vine Street plant. Its customers can report a problem at 619-443-3805 at any hour. Padre Dam's supply is imported through the San Diego County Water Authority.

Sewer and older housing

In sewered parts of Lakeside, the San Diego County Sanitation District carries wastewater through its collectors, trunk lines and pump stations to the City of San Diego's Point Loma treatment plant. The median home here dates to about 1978, and around 52.5 percent of units were built before 1980. Houses of that age can have galvanized supply pipe, cast iron drains or aging clay laterals, which is why repiping, drain cleaning and sewer camera work come up often.

Gas safety

A natural gas odor means leave first and make calls second. Once you are outside and away from the house, call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343. A plumber can repair or extend gas piping once the utility has made the area safe.

Permits

Lakeside has no city hall, so permits for repiping, water heaters and other plumbing work are issued by the County of San Diego Planning & Development Services Building Division. The County lets you apply for simple permits, pay fees and book inspections online, and its Permit Center is in Kearny Mesa.

Lakeside compared with the City of San Diego

A city of San Diego address deals with one city department for water and sewer and the city's own permit office. In Lakeside your water may come from either of two districts, your sewer from the County, and your permits from the County too. When you call the number on this page, say which part of Lakeside you are in and describe the problem, and you will be connected with an independent plumber who sets the price and the visit time with you.