C-36
Plumbing · Since 2007
Covers plumbing inside your property line. Sinks, fixtures, water heaters, drain lines on your side of the curb.
EBMUD Private Sewer Lateral · Regional Hub
EBMUD Sewer Lateral Compliance Across the East Bay.
Listed on the official EBMUD PSL Contractor List with full service coverage. C-36 plumbing plus A General Engineering. We handle the entire lateral, including the section in the public right-of-way most plumbers cannot legally touch.
CSLB #896116 · C-36 + A General Engineering · On the EBMUD PSL Contractor List · Since 2003
Z and Z Plumbing is listed on the official EBMUD Private Sewer Lateral (PSL) Contractor List with full service coverage across all five categories the list rates. We perform PSL inspection, testing, repair, and replacement across the EBMUD wastewater service area: Oakland, Piedmont, El Cerrito, Kensington, the Richmond Annex, and Emeryville. The combination of our C-36 plumbing license and our A General Engineering license (CSLB #896116) lets one crew handle the entire lateral, from the cleanout at your house all the way to the city main in the street. Call us at (510) 708-4237 for a same-day inspection.
5 / 5
EBMUD service columns
23
Years across the East Bay
6
PSL service area cities
24 / 7
Emergency response
The Program
What EBMUD PSL Compliance Is, and Who Needs It.
EBMUD's Private Sewer Lateral Program is a regional ordinance that requires property owners in the EBMUD wastewater service area to have a properly functioning sewer lateral. The lateral is the pipe that runs from your house to the city's sanitary sewer main, usually under the street. When that pipe leaks or breaks, sewage and groundwater mix where they should not. The PSL ordinance is how the region keeps that from happening at scale.
Compliance is triggered by four events:
- 1
Selling your property
A compliant lateral is part of escrow. Most buyers and lenders will not close without the certificate. This is the most common trigger.
- 2
Remodel or building project over $100,000
If your permit value exceeds $100,000, EBMUD requires PSL compliance verification as part of the permit process.
- 3
Upsizing your water service
Anything that increases your water meter or service line size triggers PSL inspection at the same time.
- 4
Voluntary compliance
Many owners of older East Bay homes pursue compliance voluntarily. A failed lateral mid-storm is one of the most expensive plumbing emergencies you can have.
The compliance certificate is the document that proves your lateral meets EBMUD standards. EBMUD issues it after a contractor performs the inspection, repairs or replaces what needs fixing, and the work passes a pressure or water test witnessed by both the city inspector and EBMUD's field inspector. Once issued, the certificate is valid for 20 years if the work was a complete replacement, or 7 years if the lateral passed via repair or original test.
The lateral runs from your house, through your yard, and continues under the sidewalk into the street.
Most plumbers cannot legally touch the part in the public right-of-way. We can.
The License Stack
Why a Single Crew with Both Licenses Matters.
Most plumbers can do part of the work. Fewer can do all of it. The piece that splits the market is the section of lateral between your property line and the city main. That stretch sits in the public right-of-way (the street, the sidewalk, sometimes a parkway strip). Working in the right-of-way requires an A General Engineering license from the California Contractors State License Board. C-36-only plumbers cannot legally do that work themselves. They have to subcontract it.
Subcontracting works, but it adds scheduling friction, two sets of insurance, two sets of warranties, and often a markup on the right-of-way portion. A single licensed crew handling the entire lateral is faster and clearer in scope. Z and Z holds both licenses under one CSLB number, CSLB #896116:
A General
General Engineering · Since 2012
Covers civil engineering work in the public right-of-way. Trenching in the street. Excavating to the city main. Most plumbers do not hold this license.
Verify both licenses directly at cslb.ca.gov using license number 896116.
Our entry on EBMUD's official PSL Contractor List · August 2025
Z and Z Plumbing
Contact information
License: 896116
(510) 708-4237
3057 Teagarden St
San Leandro, CA 94577
Services certified
- Residential PSL testingY
- Private main and private manhole testingY
- Commercial property PSL testingY
- PSL maps for HOAs and multilateral propertiesY
- CAP and CAWP documentationY
Verify our entry directly at eastbaypsl.com/doc/ContractorList.pdf.
EBMUD Contractor List
Full Service Coverage on All Five Rated Categories.
The EBMUD PSL Contractor List rates every contractor across five service categories. Z and Z is marked Y in all five.
Residential (single family home) PSL testing
Camera inspection and pressure or water testing for standard residential laterals.
Private main (PM) and private manhole (PMH) testing
Testing for shared private mains and the manholes serving multi-property groups.
Commercial property PSL testing
Compliance testing for commercial buildings, mixed-use properties, and small business sites.
PSL maps for HOAs and multilateral properties
Preparation of the lateral maps that HOAs and multi-parcel properties need for compliance documentation.
CAP/CAWP documentation for properties over 1,000 ft of PSL
Condition Assessment Plans and Corrective Action Work Plans for large-parcel groups and HOAs with extensive lateral runs.
Two notes on what list inclusion means.
First, EBMUD does not endorse any contractor and does not represent that inclusion on the list reflects skill or quality (that is their language, not ours). What inclusion does mean is that the contractor has voluntarily certified each service column and committed to following PSL Program procedures. Second, you are responsible for confirming any contractor you hire is currently eligible to perform PSL inspections. We confirm our own eligibility before every job we quote.
Verify our entry directly in the current contractor list at eastbaypsl.com/doc/ContractorList.pdf.
End to End
The Compliance Process, Step by Step.
From your first phone call to a filed EBMUD compliance certificate.
- 1
Camera inspection
$200 to $500
We run a CCTV camera from the cleanout to the city main, document every failure with location and severity, and send you a recorded video. Inspection typically runs 60 to 90 minutes.
- 2
Written quote
Same day
If the lateral passes, we coordinate the EBMUD inspection appointment. If it fails, you receive a clear written quote on the repair or replacement options before any work starts.
- 3
Repair or replace
1 to 14 days
Repairs typically start around $3,000. A full residential lateral replacement usually lands in the $12,000 to $17,000 range. Outliers run higher. We pull the permits and coordinate with the city directly.
- 4
City and EBMUD inspection
On completion
The pressure or water test is witnessed by your city's inspector and EBMUD's field inspector. We schedule, coordinate, and stay on-site through the test.
- 5
Certificate issued
2 to 4 weeks
EBMUD issues the compliance certificate after the work passes. Valid 20 years for a complete replacement, 7 years for a passed test without full replacement. Your escrow can close.
Closing date pressure?
Call (510) 708-4237. We can have a camera inspection and a written quote in your hands within 24 hours and work directly with your title company and EBMUD's compliance office.
Transparent Pricing
What EBMUD PSL Work Typically Costs in the East Bay.
Every job is different. Below are the typical East Bay ranges by job type. We quote every job up front in writing.
| Job type | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Camera inspection only | $200 to $500 |
| Spot repair (one failure point) | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Trenchless reline (typical residential lateral) | $9,000 to $18,000 |
| Open-trench replacement, property-side only | $7,000 to $15,000 |
| Full replacement including right-of-way section | $12,000 to $17,000 |
| Complex jobs (hillside, multi-unit, long laterals) | $25,000 to $80,000 |
Inspection range is from EBMUD's own guidance. Repair and replacement ranges are based on East Bay market rates Z and Z has seen over two decades of PSL work. Every job is quoted in writing before work begins.
Service Area
Where We Do EBMUD PSL Work.
The EBMUD wastewater service area covers six East Bay jurisdictions. We work in all of them.
Oakland
Our largest service market
Piedmont
Full residential coverage
El Cerrito
Including hillside laterals
Kensington
Full residential coverage
Richmond Annex
EBMUD service area portion
Emeryville
Residential and small commercial
Z and Z is headquartered in San Leandro, and the rest of the East Bay is also our standard service area. PSL compliance specifically applies to properties inside the EBMUD wastewater service area listed above.
EBMUD PSL FAQ
Common Questions.
Do I really need PSL compliance to sell my home?
If your property is inside the EBMUD wastewater service area, yes. The compliance certificate is part of escrow and most buyers and lenders will not close without it. A small number of edge cases exist (some new construction with current certificates, certain commercial transactions) but for residential resale inside the EBMUD service area, plan on needing it.
How much does the EBMUD PSL inspection cost?
Typical inspection cost runs $200 to $500. Variables include lateral length, access conditions, and whether the cleanout is in good working order. We provide a written quote before we run the camera.
What does a full sewer lateral replacement cost in the East Bay?
For a standard residential lateral, the typical range is $12,000 to $17,000. Repairs (rather than full replacement) start around $3,000. Hillside properties, multi-unit buildings, long laterals, or street excavation under heavy traffic can push the work higher (up to $80,000 in rare cases). We quote every job in writing before starting.
How long is the EBMUD compliance certificate valid?
20 years if the work was a complete lateral replacement. 7 years if the lateral passed via repair or via original pressure or water test without major work. The certificate document itself states the validity period.
Why does the A General Engineering license matter?
Because the portion of your sewer lateral in the public right-of-way (the street, the sidewalk, sometimes the parkway strip) requires an A General Engineering license to work on legally. C-36-only plumbers cannot do that section themselves. Z and Z holds both C-36 and A General, so one crew handles the entire lateral from house to main.
Can I do the EBMUD PSL inspection myself?
No. The inspection must be performed by a contractor who is eligible to schedule EBMUD inspection appointments. Z and Z is on the official EBMUD PSL Contractor List with full service coverage across all five rated categories.
What is the difference between a repair and a replacement?
A repair addresses a specific section of the lateral, often where a tree root has cracked the pipe or a joint has separated. A replacement replaces the entire lateral, usually from cleanout to city main. Replacement costs more but extends the compliance certificate from 7 years to 20 years and resets the clock on lateral failures.
Does homeowner's insurance cover this work?
Usually not, unless the damage is sudden and from a covered peril (a tree falling on the property and rupturing the line, for example). Slow degradation from age, root intrusion, or soil shift is generally not covered. We are happy to provide documentation if you want to file a claim.
What is CAP/CAWP documentation, and do I need it?
CAP stands for Condition Assessment Plan. CAWP stands for Corrective Action Work Plan. These documents are required for properties with over 1,000 linear feet of private sewer lateral, which usually means HOAs, mobile home parks, large commercial buildings, or multi-parcel groups. Z and Z is one of the contractors on EBMUD's list authorized to prepare CAP/CAWP documentation. Most single-family homeowners do not need it.
Is Z and Z really on the official EBMUD PSL Contractor List?
Yes. You can verify by downloading the current contractor list from EBMUD's regional PSL site at eastbaypsl.com. Look for Z and Z Plumbing, License #896116, 3057 Teagarden St, San Leandro, CA 94577. All five service columns are marked Y.
Credentials
Licensed for the Whole Job.
CSLB #896116
C-36 + A General Engineering
Since 2003
East Bay owned and operated
4.6 on Google
19 verified reviews
4.5 on Yelp
238 verified reviews
24/7 Emergency
Same-day response
On the EBMUD List. Full Coverage. One Crew.
23 years across the East Bay. CSLB #896116. Call (510) 708-4237.