Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) is an independent district (not part of the city of Costa Mesa) responsible for residential soil waste collection and disposal and the maintenance of the sewer wastewater collection system in the city of Costa Mesa, small portions of Newport Beach and unincorporated Orange County. 

Under the Costa Mesa Sewer Rebate Program, if you own a qualifying residential property in the Costa Mesa Sanitary District service area, you may be eligible for: 

• Up to $200 for a CCTV inspection from a ground-level cleanout
• Up to $250 for a CCTV inspection from a roof vent or toilet flange
• Up to $500 toward installing a ground-level cleanout (permit required prior to installation) 

You can claim one of these rebates, once every five years and you must receive your confirmation number before any work begins. 

What Is the Costa Mesa Sewer Inspection Rebate Program?

The Costa Mesa Sewer Inspection Rebate Program (SIRP) is designed to help homeowners offset some of the costs of their sewer lateral maintenance. The program aims to encourage homeowners to be more proactive about maintaining their sewer laterals to reduce common sewer problems and identify root intrusion, cracked pipes, offsets and other defects before they become an emergency. 

Who Qualifies and Who Doesn’t

The Costa Mesa Sewer Inspection Rebate Program is designed for residential properties within the CMSD service area which includes the city of Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach and unincorporated Orange County. Check the CMSD service area map to see if your property qualifies. Commercial and industrial properties are excluded from the Costa Mesa Sewer Inspection Rebate Program.

Because funding for this program is limited, the applications are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis and only qualifying residential homeowners who have not claimed a rebate in the past 5 years are eligible to apply. 

How Much Money Can You Actually Get Back?

The Cleanout installation carries the largest potential rebate because CMSD is encouraging homeowners to create a permanent, accessible point of entry for future sewer maintenance. CMSD’s published program information lists these three tiers at $200, $250, and $500.

The CCTV inspection amount depends on how the camera accesses your sewer lateral. A ground-level cleanout provides the easiest access, while a roof vent or toilet flange may be necessary when a suitable cleanout isn’t available.

You cannot claim both rebates within a 5 year period. In other words, you can’t receive the $500 cleanout rebate and then submit a separate inspection for another rebate during the same five-year period. 

If you’re trying to decide between having your existing sewer lateral inspected and installing a cleanout, don’t automatically choose the largest dollar amount. Consider what your property actually needs.

How to Apply, Step by Step

The application process is straightforward but it’s important to follow the correct order:

1. Submit your SIRP application. The online application is available on the CMSD’s website. Do not schedule any work yet.
2. Wait for your confirmation number. This is the step you absolutely cannot skip. After reviewing your application, CMSD provides a confirmation number for the approved project. You need this confirmation number before any work happens. Once you receive the confirmation number, you have 3 months to participate in the program. 
3. Choose a qualified contractor. Only once you have the confirmation from CMSD, schedule the eligible work with a licensed plumbing contractor. If you’re comparing contractors, make sure they understand that the inspection is being submitted for the CMSD Sewer Inspection Rebate Program (the inspection video has specific documentation requirements).
4. Have the inspection or cleanout work completed. For an inspection rebate, the contractor needs to perform the CCTV inspection according to CMSD’s requirements. 

If you’re installing a ground-level cleanout, a permit is required before any work begins. If a permit is not obtained, the rebate will not be approved. Work that requires digging will also need an inspection from CMSD. 

5. Make sure you receive the required documentation. For a CCTV rebate, keep your invoice and the completed inspection video.
6. Submit your reimbursement materials to CMSD. Submit the required documentation, including your proof of payment and the qualifying inspection video when applicable. Make sure the information on your paperwork matches the property and project covered by your SIRP confirmation.
7. Wait for CMSD to process the rebate. Once CMSD receives the required materials, the District can verify that the work meets program requirements and process the reimbursement.

What Your Inspection Video Must Include to Qualify

For a qualifying CCTV inspection, make sure the inspection is documented in the format CMSD requires. You need a hard copy of the video. CMSD requires the inspection video to be provided on a physical USB or DVD.

The video must include the following:

1. Narration and/or show of address, date, and contractor is required. CMSD needs to be able to connect the footage to the specific property and approved inspection.
2. Date and footage counter shown on the video screen. The video needs to document the inspection itself in a way CMSD can verify. The footage counter helps establish how far the camera has traveled through the sewer lateral and gives the inspection a measurable reference point.
3. Must include the entire lateral line. From house/building until past the point of connection to CMSD main line. 

If you’re paying for a rebate-eligible inspection, ask your contractor before the camera goes in whether the final video will meet CMSD’s SIRP requirements.

Who Owns the Sewer Lateral in Costa Mesa?

In Costa Mesa, the homeowner is responsible for the private sewer lateral connecting the property to the CMSD sewer system. That responsibility extends all the way to the point of connection with the CMSD main, including the portion of the lateral that may run through the public right-of-way.

Because the lateral is your responsibility, that means the inspection, cleaning, repair and replacement become your expense – and that’s why SIRP exists. By helping homeowners inspect and maintain their private laterals, CMSD can encourage problems to be found before they result in backups and sewer spills.

Should You Take the Inspection Rebate or the Cleanout Rebate?

You can only receive one rebate every five years so choose the one that’s right for you. Here’s a few things to consider:

If you don’t have a ground-level cleanout: consider the $500 rebate.

If your home doesn’t already have one, the up to $500 cleanout rebate provides more long-term value than the inspection rebate.

A ground-level cleanout gives you a permanent access point to your sewer lateral. That makes any future inspections, drain cleaning and sewer maintenance substantially easier, faster and less expensive. 

If you already have a cleanout: take the inspection rebate.

If your property already has a suitable ground-level cleanout, there’s little reason to install another one just to receive the larger rebate.

In this case, an inspection is the more logical choice.

The camera inspection reveals what’s actually happening inside your sewer line and establishes a baseline for the condition of the pipe. If you’ve experienced recurring backups, a camera inspection can show you why. 

What Happens If the Camera Finds a Problem?

Finding a problem during the camera inspection does not disqualify you from the rebate program and it doesn’t mean you have to immediately replace the entire sewer lateral. A camera inspection can reveal anything from relatively minor root intrusion to a serious structural failure. The right solution depends on what the camera actually finds and where the problem is located.

That’s why an inspection should come before an expensive repair whenever possible. The camera gives you information you can use to determine whether the line needs cleaning, spot repair, replacement, or another solution.

What VIP Provides for a Costa Mesa Rebate Inspection

At VIP Sewer & Drain Services we provide CCTV camera inspections of the sewer lateral, including inspection of the full line and documentation formatted to the CMSD requirements.

We’ll also provide an upfront written quote, so you know what the inspection will cost before work begins. If the inspection identifies a problem, we’ll show you what we’re seeing and explain your options rather than asking you to approve a repair without knowing what’s actually wrong.

If you’re applying for SIRP, tell us when you schedule the inspection. We’ll make sure we know you’re looking for a CMSD rebate-qualifying inspection and can prepare the required documentation accordingly.