Sacramento, California Water Outage Today
Live Sacramento water outage reports, City of Sacramento Department of Utilities’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Sacramento, California in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Sacramento?
Drinking water in Sacramento, California is supplied by City of Sacramento Department of Utilities, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in California are regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water.
Sacramento water system at a glance
City of Sacramento Main is the water system EPA lists for Sacramento, serving about 527,979 people. Customers know it as City of Sacramento Department of Utilities; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | City of Sacramento Main (CA3410020) |
| Run by | State government |
| People served | 527,979 through 146,932 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 2 surface intakes, 22 active wells, 23 treatment points |
| Connections to other systems | 9 |
| State regulator | State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 0 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 0 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
Source water and treatment in Sacramento
Sacramento drinks surface water. City of Sacramento Main draws it from Amer R WTP - Raw (Lab Tap #01) and Sac R WTP - Raw (Lab Tap #01) and treats it before it goes into the distribution system. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Amer R WTP - Treated (Lab Tap #12), Sac R WTP - Treated (Lab Tap #13), and Shasta Park WTP - Treated.
What this means in an outage. A surface-water system depends on its plant staying online. If the plant, the raw-water pumps or the power feeding them fails, pressure can fall across the entire service area at once, and a precautionary boil notice tends to cover whole zones rather than the single street of a main break.
Main breaks and shutoffs in Sacramento: the usual causes
These are the causes that match the record for Sacramento, listed roughly in order of how much they matter here.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 171 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Sacramento County from 2015 through 2026, and 5 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. High water can wash out the ground under buried pipe, flood pump stations and push treatment plants past their limits, which is why boil notices so often follow a flood.
- Summer demand. Sacramento has about 70 days a year at or above 95°F and 36 at or above 100°F, and the hottest day in the record came on September 6, 2022. Lawn irrigation and cooling push demand to its yearly high, so pumps run hard, tanks drain faster than they refill and pressure sags on high ground in the evening.
- Long dry spells. The longest stretch without measurable rain since 2015 lasted 146 days, ending November 5, 2020. Dry soil shrinks and shifts around buried pipe, and breaks often cluster when the rain returns and the ground swells again.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
- One-address problems. A closed valve, a meter swap or a failed regulator can leave a single house dry. Compare notes with a neighbor first; if they have water too, start with your own plumbing.
Freeze, heat and rain: the Sacramento weather record
Heat, not frost, is the main weather stress on the water system in Sacramento: summer demand peaks while irrigation and cooling run at full tilt.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 4.3 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 0 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 0 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 69.7 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 36.1 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 4.9 |
| Average annual precipitation | 24.8 in |
| Wettest year | 2017 (37.2 in) |
| Driest year | 2020 (12.2 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | February 19, 2019 |
| Hottest day in the record | September 6, 2022 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2017 with 37.2 inches; the driest was 2020 with 12.2. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
A note on the numbers: they are modeled for the city center and averaged over eleven years, so they show how often Sacramento sees each kind of weather, not what any one thermometer read on a given day.
Boil water advisories and the federal violation record for Sacramento
Since 2015, EPA's record for City of Sacramento Main shows no health-based violations.
When Sacramento loses pressure after a break or a failed test, City of Sacramento Department of Utilities asks affected customers to boil water for drinking and cooking. The notice ends only after samples come back clean, which usually takes one to two days after service returns, and the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water supervises the process.
Lead service lines and old plumbing in Sacramento
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for City of Sacramento Main is 0 ppb (2023). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is far from the limit.
Highest result on file: 0 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
40.6% of occupied homes in Sacramento were built before 1970, and lead service lines and solder stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986. After any outage that disturbs the pipes, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask City of Sacramento Department of Utilities about its lead service line inventory.
How long a water outage lasts in Sacramento
A crew that arrives at an ordinary main break in Sacramento usually needs 4 to 8 hours to isolate the pipe, dig, repair, flush and restore pressure. Large transmission mains, deep pipes and breaks under busy streets can take a day or more. With 527,979 people on the system, a break on a main that feeds a whole district can leave thousands of homes dry at once, and crews may close valves several blocks away to isolate it.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | Time window posted ahead; water often returns early |
| Ordinary main break | Roughly 4 to 8 working hours |
| Large or deep main | 1 to 3 days |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Hours to a day, once power or the pump is restored |
| Boil water notice after service returns | Until two clean rounds of samples, usually 1 to 2 days |
| Frozen service line or meter | Until it thaws or a plumber repairs it |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
City of Sacramento Department of Utilities will post an estimated restoration time for a break that affects many customers; ask for the repair crew's estimate when you call.
How much water to keep on hand in Sacramento
The average household in Sacramento has about 2.6 people, so FEMA's minimum of one gallon per person per day comes to roughly 8 gallons for three days and 37 gallons for two weeks.
- Heat: 70 days a year top 95°F here, so plan for more than the one-gallon minimum, and keep extra for pets.
- Do not forget the water heater: the tank holds roughly 30 to 50 gallons you can drink after it is switched off and allowed to cool.
- Fill a tub or large containers early for toilets, cleaning and handwashing, and store drinking water separately in clean bottles.
Water systems near Sacramento, side by side
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | City of Sacramento Main | 527,979 | Surface | 0 | 0 |
| Stockton, CA | City of Stockton | 191,302 | Surface | 3 | 0 |
| Oakland, CA | East Bay Mud | 1,442,800 | Surface | 0 | 3.3 |
| Modesto, CA | City of Modesto | 218,771 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 12 |
| San Francisco, CA | Sfpuc City Distribution Division | 848,019 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 7.6 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Stockton, CA · Oakland, CA · Modesto, CA · San Francisco, CA
Staying informed about water service in Sacramento
Sign up for alerts from City of Sacramento Department of Utilities and check its website or social accounts when the water goes off. If a boil advisory is issued, the water outage guide covers how to treat water and when it is safe again.
Sacramento frequently asked water questions
Who do I call about no water in Sacramento?
Call the 24-hour line of City of Sacramento Department of Utilities. Call 911 only if flooding or a main break puts people or property in immediate danger.
What is the source of Sacramento tap water?
Per EPA, the water system for Sacramento (City of Sacramento Main) is classed as surface water. It draws from Amer R WTP - Raw (Lab Tap #01) and Sac R WTP - Raw (Lab Tap #01).
Is the water in Sacramento safe?
EPA lists no health-based violations for City of Sacramento Main since 2015, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 0 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. If the utility issues a boil notice, boil water until it announces the all-clear.
When do water main breaks happen in Sacramento?
With only about 4 freezing days a year, Sacramento sees fewer cold-weather breaks. Summer demand, ground movement after dry spells, old pipe and construction damage cause most of them, so they can occur in any month.
Why did the water pressure drop at my house in Sacramento?
Low pressure often comes from a nearby main break, heavy demand on a hot evening (70 days a year top 95°F here), or a failed pressure regulator at your own home. If neighbors are affected too, report it to City of Sacramento Department of Utilities; if only your home is, check the regulator and shutoff valve.
How long do boil water advisories last in Sacramento?
Typically a day or two. Bacteria tests take about 24 hours, so City of Sacramento Department of Utilities cannot end a notice until clean samples come back; the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water sets the rules for that process.
How many gallons of emergency water does a Sacramento family need?
Plan on one gallon per person per day for at least three days. The average Sacramento household has about 2.6 people, which works out to roughly 8 gallons for three days and 37 for two weeks.
Does Sacramento have lead pipes?
It depends on the age of your home. About 40.6% of occupied homes in Sacramento were built before 1970, and lead service lines remained legal until 1986. Contact City of Sacramento Department of Utilities about your address and flush the cold tap after any outage.
Where can I see water outages in Sacramento?
We do not run a pipe map. The report count at the top of this page shows what other people in Sacramento have reported in the last 24 hours. For the official picture, check City of Sacramento Department of Utilities for its outage page, alerts and social accounts.
More outage pages for Sacramento and nearby
Other outage types in Sacramento
Water Service Outages in cities near Sacramento
- Stockton, CA 45 mi · City of Stockton Municipal Utilities
- Oakland, CA 68 mi · East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
- Modesto, CA 71 mi · City of Modesto Utilities
- San Francisco, CA 75 mi · San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
- Fremont, CA 76 mi · Alameda County Water District
- San Jose, CA 89 mi · San Jose Water
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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