Open 24 hours, every day
Flood Water Cleanup Where San Rafael Meets the Bay
From the Canal and Spinnaker Point to Terra Linda and Gerstle Park, our North Bay crew pumps out tide and storm water, cleans up sewage and rebuilds, with your sanitation district’s rules in mind.
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Tell us what happened and we'll call you back. In a hurry? Call (844) 623-3946.
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San Rafael, CA
How does a San Rafael flood cleanup get started?
With a call to RestoreX’s North Bay office in Petaluma, about 21 road miles from City Hall. We pump out standing water, map moisture in floors and walls, remove what bay, storm or sewer water ruined, dry the structure and rebuild, whether the home sits on the low east side, along a creek or up in Terra Linda.
San Rafael’s mission dates to 1817, and the city has been Marin’s county seat since 1851. Most of its homes came much later: Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024 put the median build year at 1968, with 71% of units built before 1980 and about 10% before 1940. Fewer than half are detached houses, and about one unit in six sits in a building of 20 or more, so water damage from a flood or a burst line can reach several households at once.
Housing: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates. Distance is approximate.
About San Rafael
Why does east San Rafael flood at high tide?
It was built on filled marsh that has since settled. The city describes much of eastern San Rafael as low-lying and bowl-shaped, and FEMA’s National Risk Index rates southeast San Rafael’s flood risk above 99% of U.S. census tracts. Seven stormwater pump stations drain into the San Rafael Channel and need deep water to work.
The San Rafael Channel is the federal channel on San Rafael Creek, authorized in 1918, and more than 12,000 residents live within half a mile of it, in what the city calls the most densely populated FEMA flood zone in the county. It was fully dredged in early 2023 for the first time in 20 years, and the Army Corps awarded a new dredging contract in 2026 (City of San Rafael). The city runs 12 stormwater pump stations in all, and much of its shoreline was filled over bay mud as deep as 90 feet.
High tides are part of the problem. Sea water breached the San Rafael marina and flooded its parking lot on January 8, 2017, and king tides flooded 2nd and Irwin streets on January 3, 2026. North San Pedro Road along the China Camp shoreline routinely floods during king tides and winter storms, and the Tiscornia Marsh restoration is improving a levee. Rain adds to it. San Rafael Creek and Miller Creek are the city’s main creek corridors, and San Rafael’s emergency services office photographed flooding downtown during the October 2021 atmospheric river. On November 22, 2024 the city set a daily rainfall record of 3.57 inches (NWS record report).
FEMA’s current flood map for the city took effect March 16, 2016. It shows Zones AE and AH, coastal high-hazard Zone VE and shaded Zone X, and all 21 levee lines it shows touching the city, one of them named Smith Ranch Airport, are marked ‘Never Accredited’. San Rafael is not in FEMA’s Community Rating System. On June 1, 2026 the City Council reviewed a Sea Level Rise Feasibility Study as the next step in its flood planning (city news).
Permits & rebuilding
At what point does a San Rafael repair need a permit?
As soon as it goes past finish work. Stopping a leak, painting, flooring and countertops are exempt, but replacing a defective concealed drain, water, waste or vent pipe counts as new work. Exempt ‘ordinary repairs’ also exclude cutting away any wall or partition, and water heater or sewer line replacements are minor permits.
Paperwork for a San Rafael repair
- File through OpenGov, which replaced eTRAKiT for new applications in February 2026, or call the Building Division on the top floor of City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, at (415) 485-3367.
- A city sewer or drain line permit covers only pipe in or under the building and up to 3 feet outside its wall; beyond that, the sanitation district issues the permit.
- In AE, AH, V and VE zones, a rebuilt lowest floor must sit at least 1 foot above base flood elevation plus 30 years of predicted settlement, and damage of 50% or more of pre-damage market value counts as substantial.
- Selling soon? The city’s Residential Resale Report checks permit records and flags unpermitted work, and the buyer gets a copy.
- Building permits stay valid for two years and minor permits for 180 days, under rules in effect from January 1, 2023.
Services in San Rafael
What does RestoreX handle for San Rafael homes and buildings?
Flood water removal and structural drying come first after a tide or storm. When rain overloads a lateral and sewage comes up a drain, we handle sewage cleanup and disinfection. Damp walls left too long grow mold, and once things are dry, our reconstruction crew rebuilds under city and district permits.
FAQ
San Rafael Questions
Does my San Rafael sewer lateral need an inspection before I sell?
Only in north San Rafael. The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District requires a CCTV video inspection of the lateral and drainage, by a licensed plumber or PACP inspector, before close of escrow on every home listed for sale, and before permit final on building permits of $30,000 or more. The San Rafael Sanitation District, serving central San Rafael, doesn’t currently require one at sale.
How do I know which sanitation district serves my San Rafael address?
Ask first, because the city has two. The San Rafael Sanitation District serves central San Rafael from the top of Puerto Suello Hill south, and owners there maintain the whole lateral, including the part under the street. Las Gallinas Valley serves the north, where Terra Linda joined in 1956, and its rules give owners 90 days to remove illegal sump pump, gutter and foundation drain hookups.
Who supplies San Rafael's water?
Marin Water, formed on April 25, 1912 as California’s first municipal water district. About 75% of its supply is rain that falls on Mt. Tamalpais and west Marin and is stored in seven reservoirs holding nearly 80,000 acre-feet; the rest is Russian River water bought from Sonoma Water. It serves about 191,000 people through 908 miles of pipeline.
Is San Rafael served from Petaluma or Hayward?
From Petaluma. Our North Bay main office on Lakeville Street is about 21 road miles from City Hall at 1400 Fifth Avenue, nearer than our Hayward office. That covers both main ZIP codes, 94901 and 94903, from the Canal and downtown to Terra Linda. Phone (844) 623-3946 and tell us the street and what happened.
Nearby
Which RestoreX city pages are close to San Rafael?
Heading north, Petaluma is home to the crew that serves San Rafael, with Rohnert Park beyond it. San Francisco is covered by our Hayward office instead, and Vallejo has its own page as well. Choose one below, or call (844) 623-3946 if you aren’t sure which office covers you.
Talk to RestoreX
Tide, storm or sewer water in a San Rafael building?
Call (844) 623-3946. Our North Bay crew comes down from Petaluma.