In a Colton plumbing emergency, close the main shutoff, and if you smell gas, leave and call 911 and SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200. City water and wastewater crews respond to main breaks and sewer blockages, with an after-hours line at (909) 370-5000. For problems inside your property, call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Colton.
About Colton
Colton, the Hub City, grew up around the railroads and the Colton Crossing junction just south of San Bernardino. It runs its own water and wastewater utilities. City crews respond to main breaks, service line leaks on the City side and sewer blockages in City lines, and the after-hours emergency number is (909) 370-5000; Water Utility Administration is (909) 370-6131 during the day. The City operates more than 100 miles of sewer pipe and its own treatment plant. Drinking water is mostly local groundwater from City wells, disinfected with chlorine, and it is hard: about 207 mg/L on average for the Colton/Rialto sources. About half of Colton's homes were built before 1980, with a median build year of 1979, so original galvanized supply pipe and older sewer laterals can still turn up, and the City's hard water adds scale to whatever pipe and heaters are in place.
Do this first
- If you smell gas, get out and call 911 and SoCalGas from a safe spot.
- Close the main and open a faucet at the lowest point in the house.
- Switch off the water heater if it is leaking or involved.
- Stop using drains during a backup.
- Look outside. Water in the street or a manhole overflowing goes to the City at (909) 370-5000 after hours.
- Call the number on this page for anything on your property.
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Rusty water and low pressure at old fixtures | Corroded galvanized supply pipe |
| Sewage in a floor drain or tub | Clogged or broken lateral |
| Heater leaking or relief valve discharging | Scale-damaged tank or valve |
| Wet ground between the meter and the house | Leak in the owner's service line |
| Warm floor and a moving meter | Slab leak |
Cost factors
- Timing. After-hours and holiday calls usually cost more.
- Pipe age. In older homes, one repair can reveal more corroded pipe.
- Excavation. Lateral and yard-line repairs may need digging.
- Permits. Colton Building & Safety, (909) 370-5079, requires permits to replace, relocate or install water heaters and to replace water or sewer lines; swapping fixtures on existing plumbing does not need one.
Arrival depends on the hour and the plumber's schedule; no time is promised.
Emergency Plumber questions in Colton
Who do I call about a water main break or a leak in the street after hours?
Are older homes here more prone to plumbing emergencies?
Does an emergency repair still need a permit here?
The relief valve on the water heater is spraying or dripping. Is that an emergency?
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