Happy Valley is a Lafayette neighborhood of hillside streets near downtown, built around Happy Valley Road and home to Happy Valley Elementary School. Local real-estate profiles describe upscale homes in a range of styles. Plumbing questions on properties like these often come down to how far the pipes run from the street to the house.
We take plumbing calls from Happy Valley and the rest of Lafayette. We cannot quote a timing in advance, so ask what to expect when you call. Neighbors in the next town west can use our plumber in Orinda page.
From walnut groves to hillside homes
A resident interviewed by the Lafayette Historical Society recalled that her family moved to Lafayette in 1946 or 1947 and bought land on Redwood Lane, off Happy Valley Road. She described the road as lined with walnut trees all the way into town and mostly agricultural, with pear, apple and apricot orchards on much of one side and a creek running in front of her family's lane.
That memory is one person's account, but it matches the picture of Lafayette shifting from farmland to a commuter suburb in the mid-1900s. What it means today is practical. Whatever a lot's history, the pipes between the street and the house belong to the owner, and on a bigger property that run can be long.
The water line between the meter and your house
EBMUD supplies Lafayette water. It is responsible for leaks on the street side of the meter, including the meter itself. You are responsible for leaks and repairs on the customer side, which includes the pipe running from the meter to the house. On a larger lot that pipe can be a long run.
To check, shut off all water in and around the house and watch the leak indicator on the meter. If it keeps moving, water is going somewhere. If water is leaking on EBMUD's side, call EBMUD Emergency Dispatch at 1-866-403-2683 and press 1.
For a houseline test, close the houseline valve, mark the dial, wait 30 minutes and look again. If the dial moved, the leak is likely between the meter and the house. If it did not, look inside the home.
Signs of a hidden water line leak
A leak outside the walls often shows up somewhere other than the pipe.
- A water bill that climbs with no change in how you use water.
- A soft, green or constantly damp patch in the yard on a dry week.
- A meter dial that moves with every tap in the house closed.
- The sound of running water in a quiet house.
Any of these is a reason to run the meter test above, then call. Leak detection finds the spot before anyone digs.
Larger lots, longer sewer laterals
Central San owns the sewer main, and the property owner owns the whole lateral from the house to that main, including the part under a sidewalk or street. On a Happy Valley lot the lateral may be longer than the one on a smaller lot, though only a camera can tell you where yours runs.
Central San names root intrusion as the leading cause of sewer backups, and a yard with mature trees gives roots plenty to reach. If drains back up more than once, hydro jetting can clear the line and a camera shows what caused it. Lateral work other than routine cleaning needs a Central San permit, and sewer line repair that crosses a street needs a city encroachment permit too.
Call 811 before any digging
Buried water, gas and sewer lines cross many Happy Valley yards. Call 811, the USA North 811 line for Northern California, before digging for a fence, a pool or a repair.
Sources for this page
Lafayette Historical Society oral history with Ann Skram (2015) for the Happy Valley Road recollections. Meter, leak and responsibility rules: EBMUD guide for leaks and high bills. Sewer lateral ownership and permits: Central San home guide. Neighborhood description: Amar Realtor Happy Valley profile. For code and licensing: the UPC-based California Plumbing Code is Title 24, Part 5, and the CSLB license check lists contractor licenses.
Happy Valley plumbing questions
Yes. Happy Valley is part of Lafayette and we take calls from the whole city. Give the street name so the address can be confirmed first.
The property owner. EBMUD handles the street side of the meter, and everything from the meter to the house is on the customer side.
Close the houseline valve, mark the meter dial, wait 30 minutes and check it. If the dial moved, the leak is probably between the meter and the house. If not, look inside.
Not on its own. A nearby creek does not mean your pipes are failing. Ground that stays wet in a dry week is a reason to test the water line.
Yes. Sewer line repair is part of our work, and the first step is usually a camera look so the repair matches the real problem.
Want a second opinion on a leak or a long sewer run? Call and describe the property.
Call (855) 575-2890