Licensed & Insured · CA LIC #982663
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Pacifica, San Francisco, Burlingame, CA · Serving the Bay
PACIFICA, CA • LIC #982663 • 24/7
We answer the phone day, night, weekends, and holidays, with same-day service across the Peninsula.
Works Plumbing is the Pacifica-based, family-owned plumber Montara homeowners can call for leaks, drains, water heaters and gas lines. As a plumber in Montara, CA, we know the local water district, the County permit process and the hillside streets. We are licensed and insured under CSLB #982663, with same-day service and 24/7 emergency help.
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Montara is unincorporated, so San Mateo County issues building and plumbing permits, and one local agency, Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD), provides both water and sewer. That setup shapes almost every repair we do here, from who signs off on the work to what comes out of the tap.
MWSD draws on its own wells and Montara Creek, with no SFPUC water in the mix. Its 2025 water quality report lists hardness at 190 ppm, above the 180 mg/L line USGS uses for very hard water. Manganese also exceeded the secondary standard tied to staining. The result shows up as scale inside tank and tankless water heaters in Montara, crusted aerators and showerheads, and dark marks on fixtures.
Water flows down steep hills here, and MWSD operates 14 pressure reducing stations to bring that pressure down. Two homes a few blocks apart can see different pressure. Pressure that is too high works fittings, valves and supply hoses loose over time, so leak detection in Montara includes a pressure reading at the house. When pressure runs high, the usual fix is a pressure regulator where the line enters the home, and we test any existing regulator on a leak call.
Under MWSD’s rules, the homeowner is responsible for gravity laterals, pressurized laterals and individual sewage pumps up to the district connection. In 2026 MWSD replaced its own main on 3rd Street between East Avenue and La Conte Avenue by trenchless methods and reconnected each property’s lateral. Wastewater then goes to the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside plant for treatment. MWSD can help a plumber through its permitting, and contractors coordinate permits and inspections with both the County and the district. We found no point-of-sale lateral inspection rule for MWSD, so a lateral can go many years without anyone looking inside it.
Census estimates put the median year built at 1975, with wide margins of error, and the 1970s were the busiest decade. A connection moratorium limited new water service in the area from 1976 until 2013, so some properties have a history with private wells. Homes on an onsite septic system fall under County Environmental Health; we refer septic work to a septic specialist and handle the plumbing inside the house.
Drains and sewer laterals
Before clearing a main line, we confirm whether the house drains to an MWSD lateral or to an onsite system. Slow or backed-up sewer lines then start with drain cleaning in Montara, and roots or grease on the pipe wall call for hydro jetting a Montara sewer line. A sewer camera inspection in Montara shows the lateral’s condition and where it meets the district main. Failing laterals, including those next to a newly replaced main, can be renewed through trenchless pipe repair in Montara. Homes with a groundwater pump or a sewage pump can book sump and sewage pump service in Montara; we identify which system you have first.
Water heaters and supply lines
Very hard water shortens the life of tank units, so water heater repair in Montara usually includes a look at sediment and the anode. We also install heat pump water heaters, placed and sized with the County permit in mind. Service lines from the meter, or from an old well setup, are covered by water line repair in Montara.
Gas and propane
Utility gas and tank propane both heat Montara homes, and gas line repair in Montara covers either fuel once we confirm which one the house uses.
Fixtures
Mineral-heavy water is hard on fixtures, which keeps faucet repair in Montara, shower repair, toilet repair and garbage disposal service on our list. We also install whole-house filtration and softeners, and we handle County permits and inspections when a job requires them. Every job comes with an upfront price you approve first.
Every job comes with upfront pricing, licensed and background-checked technicians, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee . No surprises, no pressure, ever.
Unscrew and soak your faucet aerators and showerhead screens in white vinegar on a regular schedule. In Montara, very hard, mineral-rich water leaves deposits there first, and a clean screen often restores flow without a service call.
See how we handle it:
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Whether your home is on 3rd Street near the new sewer main or closer to Farallone Avenue, tell us the problem and we will quote the repair before work begins.
Pipes, faucets, fixtures, toilets, garbage disposals we fix what’s broken, fast.
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Hydro jetting, rooter service, camera inspection. Clogs gone, drains flowing.
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Tank and tankless install, repair, and replacement. Hot water within 24 hours.
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Installation, repair, leak detection performed by certified technicians.
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Non-invasive camera inspections find leaks fast without tearing up your home.
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Burst pipes? Flooded basement? We answer the phone day, night, weekends, holidays.
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Whole-home repipe and trenchless sewer repair. Less mess, longer life.
Learn MoreA look at real Works jobs around the Peninsula.
Montara’s tap water starts underground, and the limits of that supply explain a lot about plumbing in town. A California Public Utilities Commission record from around 2000 describes the local wells in detail. They averaged 209 feet deep and 16.5 gallons per minute, and only about 40 percent yielded more than 10 gallons per minute. The same record says much of the local groundwater is high in iron and manganese and may require treatment.
Those figures describe a small, locally fed system rather than a regional one. MWSD now runs nine active wells, draws on Montara Creek and treats its surface water locally, and it describes the supply as 100 percent locally controlled. For a homeowner, three things follow.
The same area lived under a water connection moratorium from 1976 until 2013. On older properties we ask whether the house ever ran on a private well, because old well piping or a pressure tank may still be connected somewhere in the system. We trace where the water actually enters the house before working on it.
Here are the questions we hear most. Don’t see yours? Give us a ring, a real human answers, day or night.
All of Montara, from the homes along Cabrillo Highway to the streets around 3rd Street, 4th Street, East Avenue, La Conte Avenue and Farallone Avenue. Our routes along the coast also cover Moss Beach, El Granada and Half Moon Bay, so a Montara call can usually be scheduled the same day.
No. Septic pumping, inspection and repair go to a septic specialist, and San Mateo County Environmental Health regulates those systems. We still repair everything inside the house on a septic property, including fixtures, water heaters, supply lines and the drain piping that leads out to the tank.
Often, yes. At 190 ppm, MWSD water is very hard by USGS standards, and manganese can stain fixtures. We test the water at your tap, look at your water heater and fixtures, and then recommend a softener, a filter or neither. We size the system to your home’s flow and pressure.
They can. Hard water drops scale and sediment in the bottom of a tank, which insulates the water from the burner or element and makes the heater work harder. Flushing the tank and checking the anode on a regular schedule slows that down. Tankless units need periodic descaling for the same reason.
We can separate the house plumbing from an old well line and connect it cleanly to the district service. Wells themselves are regulated by San Mateo County Environmental Health, so closing or destroying a well is coordinated with the County. We handle permits and inspections for our part of the work.
Yes. We answer 24/7 for burst pipes, sewer backups, gas odors and water heater failures, and we dispatch from Pacifica. If sewage is overflowing from a public manhole or the street, the problem may be on the public side, and Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside runs an emergency line for that.
Montara neighbors we serve include Moss Beach, El Granada, Half Moon Bay, Pacifica and Daly City.
We’ve earned our reputation one happy homeowner at a time.
“I had a backed up kitchen drain and David from Works Plumbing came out and cleared the line in a matter of minutes. Very professional and very knowledgeable. Definitely recommend!”
“Great professional and quick service! Shamir was friendly, efficient, and professional. He fixed the leaking problem in my sink and garbage disposal in under an hour. Highly recommend!”
“Thank you again for another job well done, and thank you for responding right away. I will continue to recommend Works Plumbing because they respond right away and get the job done efficiently.”
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Drain cleared or it’s free. Limit one per household.rnrn
Mention this offer when you schedule EXPIRES 12/31/2026Save $500 on a new tankless water heater install.rnrn
Mention this offer when you schedule Expires 12/31/2026With any drain cleaning service over $250. See the problem yourself.
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Mention this offer when you schedule Valid year-roundLabor only with purchase of new toilet. Includes haul-away.
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