Kitchen clogs
Grease, rice and pasta in kitchen drains, worst at the start and end of each term.
ZIP 92626
Central Costa Mesa plumber near the fairgrounds and colleges
Central Costa Mesa grew on the land of the World War II Santa Ana Army Air Base. Today the OC Fair & Event Center, Orange Coast College, Vanguard University and City Hall sit there, surrounded by homes and student rentals that keep us busy.
Call (657) 669-4766Request service
Written and fact-checked by John, editor, MBA in marketing
Updated against City, utility and state sources
Quick answer
Central Costa Mesa (92626) is the area around the OC Fair & Event Center, Orange Coast College, Vanguard University and TeWinkle Park, much of it on the former Santa Ana Army Air Base. Plumbing calls here come from older homes and busy student rentals, and permits are issued at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive. Call (657) 669-4766.
- Fairgrounds
- 88 Fair Drive
- OC Fair 2026
- July 17 to Aug 16, Wed to Sun
- City Hall
- 77 Fair Drive
- ZIP
- 92626
Central Costa Mesa at a glance
Central Costa Mesa is the informal name for the middle of the city around the fairgrounds, the two college campuses, City Hall and TeWinkle Park.
- What it is
- An everyday name, not an official City district; Travel Costa Mesa places the OC Fair & Event Center, TeWinkle Park and the Costa Mesa Skate Park in it
- Fairgrounds
- OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive
- Colleges
- Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd; Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive
- City Hall
- 77 Fair Drive, inside the 9.5-acre Costa Mesa Civic Center
- Big park
- TeWinkle Park, 970 Arlington Dr, 49 acres
- History
- Much of the area was part of the Santa Ana Army Air Base from 1942 to 1946
- Freeway
- SR-55, the Costa Mesa Freeway, runs past the Vanguard campus
- ZIP code
- 92626
Central Costa Mesa has more institutions per square mile than anywhere else in the city. For a plumber, that means two things. The homes and apartments around the campuses see heavy use from students and renters. And because City Hall is here, this is where every Costa Mesa plumbing permit starts, which we cover below and in our Costa Mesa permit guide.
From the Santa Ana Army Air Base to fairgrounds and campuses
The Santa Ana Army Air Base was a 1,336-acre World War II training base, and after it closed in 1946 its land became the fairgrounds, Orange Coast College, Vanguard University, Costa Mesa High School and more.
- 1942
The base opens
The Army Air Corps activated the Santa Ana Army Air Base on January 1, 1942. It handled basic training and classification for Army Air Forces recruits, who went elsewhere for flight training. It had no planes, hangars or runways.
- 1946
The base closes
The base was deactivated on March 13, 1946, and title passed to the War Assets Administration that May.
- 1947
Orange Coast College is founded
The college got a 243-acre site from the War Assets Administration. Founding staff turned Army buildings into an auditorium, a theater and a library. First classes started in fall 1948.
- 1950
Vanguard moves to its present campus
The school, founded in 1920 as Southern California Bible School, moved to its present Costa Mesa campus in 1950.
- 1953
Costa Mesa incorporates
The city incorporated on June 29, 1953. Charles TeWinkle, a local businessman, was elected its first mayor.
- 1965
TeWinkle Park is dedicated
The park named for the first mayor was dedicated on January 31, 1965.
- 1979
A plaque for the trainees
A plaque honoring the base's trainees was placed at the Air National Guard site on former base land.
The City's history page says many thousands trained at the base during World War II, and many came back after the war to live here. That postwar return helped fill Costa Mesa's neighborhoods. Citywide, the City's Housing Element shows 19.2% of homes were built in the 1950s and about half in the 1960s and 1970s, so most Costa Mesa homes are now more than 45 years old.
The Costa Mesa Historical Society keeps a permanent exhibit on the base, from cadet training materials to uniforms, at its museum on Anaheim Ave.
OC Fair 2026 dates and what fair season means for a service call
The 2026 OC Fair runs July 17 to August 16, Wednesday through Sunday, at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, and fair days bring heavy traffic to Central Costa Mesa streets.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 17 to August 16, 2026 |
| Open days | Wednesday to Sunday |
| Hours, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday | 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Hours, Friday and Saturday | 11 a.m. to midnight |
| Address | 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 |
| Attendance | More than one million visitors a year |
A fair that draws more than a million people a year can fill Fair Drive, Fairview Rd and the streets around the grounds. None of that stops a plumbing visit, but it changes the timing. If you live near the fairgrounds and need us during fair season:
- Mornings before 11 a.m. are easiest for access.
- Mondays and Tuesdays, when the fair is closed, are quieter.
- Tell us which side street to use and whether there is driveway space for a truck.
- For an emergency, call anyway. We will give you an honest arrival window.
The fairgrounds host events the rest of the year too, so check the event calendar if you are booking non-urgent work on a weekend.
Orange Coast College, Vanguard University and student rentals
Orange Coast College and Vanguard University bring thousands of students to Central Costa Mesa, and the shared houses and apartments they rent see plumbing wear faster than a typical family home.
Orange Coast College
OCC is at 2701 Fairview Rd. It was founded in 1947 on former air base land and now covers 164 acres. Its campus includes modernist buildings by Richard Neutra and a public planetarium that opened in 2019. Wikipedia lists enrollment around 24,000 to 25,000 students.
Vanguard University
Vanguard is at 55 Fair Drive, on about 40 acres next to SR-55. It is a Christian university affiliated with the Assemblies of God, with about 2,246 students. It has been on its present campus since 1950.
What student rentals do to plumbing
About 60% of Costa Mesa households rent, according to the City's 2023 economic profile, which puts owner occupancy at 40.3%. Near the campuses, many rentals are shared by several adults. That means more showers, more laundry, more cooking and more chances for the wrong things to go down a drain.
Toilet clogs
Wipes and paper overload in shared bathrooms. See toilets and faucets.
Running out of hot water
A tank sized for a family of four struggles with five roommates. See water heater repair.
Move-out damage
Loose fixtures, broken stops and hidden leaks found at turnover.
Owners and managers of rentals near the campuses can lean on our landlord and property manager service, which covers tenant coordination and written reports. Tenants should report leaks to their landlord right away, in writing if possible.
TeWinkle Park and a lesson in slow leaks
TeWinkle Park is a 49-acre City park at 970 Arlington Dr with a lake and 12 tennis courts, and its lakes have been losing about a million gallons of water a month to seepage.
- Address
- 970 Arlington Dr, Costa Mesa 92626
- Size
- 49 acres
- Features
- A lake and waterfall, 12 tennis courts, ball fields, a basketball court, an amphitheater, shelters and a playground
- Named for
- Charles TeWinkle, Costa Mesa's first mayor
- Dedicated
- January 31, 1965
Voice of OC reported in September 2025 that the man-made lakes at TeWinkle lose roughly one million gallons of water a month to seepage. On September 2, 2025 the City Council voted 4 to 3 to approve a renovation contract that includes replacing the lake liner to reduce leakage, deepening the lakes and repairing the shoreline. A 2004 renovation had also addressed leaking. The work was expected to take about nine months.
The lakes are a big, public version of the most common thing we find in homes: a leak nobody can see. A home leak is far smaller, but it runs all day and night just the same. The EPA's WaterSense program says household leaks can waste more than 9,300 gallons a year.
The two-hour meter test
Read the meter
Find your water meter, usually in a box near the curb, and write down the reading.
Use no water for two hours
No faucets, toilets, dishwasher, laundry or irrigation.
Read it again
If the reading changed, water is leaking somewhere: a toilet, a buried line, or a pipe under the slab.
Call for leak detection
We locate the leak before anyone opens a wall or floor. See leak detection and slab leaks.
Published estimates from HomeAdvisor via Angi (2024) put slab leak detection at $150 to $600. That is a national range, not a quote. Call (657) 669-4766 for an exact quote.
City Hall at 77 Fair Drive: where Costa Mesa plumbing permits start
Costa Mesa plumbing permits are issued by Building Safety on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, with applications and inspections handled online through TESSA.
- Building
- City Hall, a five-story building in the 9.5-acre Civic Center
- Also in the Civic Center
- Council Chambers, the Police facility, a Communications building and Fire Station No. 5
- Building Safety
- 77 Fair Drive, 2nd floor; 714-754-5273
- Online system
- TESSA for permits and inspection requests
- Quick permits
- "Insta-Permits" for simple, limited-scope jobs
The City's plumbing permit application lists work types including Water Repipe, Gas Repipe, Expansion Tank, Sewer Connect and Sewer Private Line. Water heater replacements follow the City's water heater installation standard, dated September 2024. Key points from that standard:
- Seismic straps in the upper and lower third of the tank.
- No shutoff or check valve before or after the temperature and pressure relief valve.
- A relief valve drain of at least 3/4 inch.
- No PEX or similar plastic tubing within the first 18 inches of the heater.
- No water heaters in bedrooms or bathrooms, and the heater must not be visible to the public.
- Inspections are booked in TESSA.
- Construction hours are Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm, with no work on Sundays or major holidays.
We pull City permits when the work requires them and schedule the inspection. Sewer laterals add a second agency: the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, which requires a sewer plan when a project builds or changes a lateral. Our sewer lateral guide explains that rule.
Homes in Central Costa Mesa and the plumbing inside them
Central Costa Mesa mixes single-family homes from the postwar decades with apartment buildings and rentals near the campuses.
| Housing | Who calls | Typical problems | What we check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postwar single-family home, owner-occupied | Owner | Lateral roots, older supply pipe, water heater age | Lateral camera, pipe material, heater strapping |
| Single-family home rented to students | Owner or manager | Clogs, worn fixtures, undersized water heater | Drain condition, heater size, fixture shutoffs |
| Small apartment building | Manager | Shared stack clogs, leaks between units | Stack cleanouts, shutoff valves for each unit |
| Larger complex, five or more units | Property manager | Central water heaters, main line backups | Equipment age, building sewer camera |
Citywide, 35.4% of Costa Mesa housing units are in buildings of five or more units and 39.3% are single detached homes, per the City's 2023 economic profile. About 73% of housing was built before 1980. In older homes we often find original clay sewer laterals; CMSD's guide notes the existing laterals in the street or alley are 6-inch clay. Roots and grease are the usual causes of backups, which our drain cleaning page covers.
Water and sewer service in Central Costa Mesa
Most Central Costa Mesa homes get water from Mesa Water District and sewer service from the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, with treatment by OC San.
Mesa Water District serves about 110,000 people in most of Costa Mesa and reports 100% local groundwater. Its 2026 Consumer Confidence Report puts average hardness at about 6.6 grains per gallon in 2025. IRWD serves parts of Costa Mesa, so check your bill if you are not sure. Mesa Water's 2026 rate is $6.38 per unit of 748 gallons, so a slow leak shows up on the bill.
The Costa Mesa Sanitary District was founded in 1944 and serves about 118,000 residents. It also runs curbside trash for homes and buildings of up to four units, with CR&R as the hauler. Ask CMSD where its sewer responsibility begins for your address before planning street-side work. Our who to call guide covers both agencies.
Published cost ranges for common Central Costa Mesa jobs
Published national estimates help with budgeting for rental turnovers and home repairs, but the real number for your job comes from a written quote.
| Job | Published range | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Single drain clog | $147 to $345 | HomeAdvisor, 2025 |
| Toilet installation | $224 to $533 | HomeAdvisor, 2025 |
| Faucet replacement | $161 to $364 | HomeAdvisor, 2022 |
| Garbage disposal installation | $150 to $950 | This Old House, 2026 |
| Tank water heater replacement | $600 to $2,500 | Angi, 2025 |
| Main line clearing | $100 to $800 | HomeAdvisor, 2025 |
These are published estimates, not our prices. Call (657) 669-4766 for an exact quote. Our plumbing costs guide has the full list. Before paying anyone, check their license with our license check guide.
Who to call in Central Costa Mesa
A plumber handles problems inside your home or building; Building Safety handles permits; Mesa Water or IRWD handles the meter; CMSD handles the public sewer.
| Need | Who | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Leak, clog, backup or no hot water | A licensed plumber | (657) 669-4766 |
| Plumbing permits and inspections | City Building Safety | 77 Fair Drive, 2nd floor; 714-754-5273 |
| Meter or street leak | Mesa Water District (or IRWD) | 949-631-1200; IRWD 949-453-5300 |
| Public sewer spill | Costa Mesa Sanitary District | (949) 645-8400; 911 in an emergency |
| Gas smell | SoCalGas, from outside | 1-800-427-2200; 911 if danger |
If water is coming through a ceiling right now, see our 24/7 emergency plumber page or just call. Work is performed by independent CSLB-licensed C-36 plumbing contractors, with a written price before work starts and an honest arrival window. Nearby, see our College Park and Mesa Verde pages.
Water where it shouldn't be? Call now.
A real person answers 24 hours a day. You get an honest arrival window and a written price before any work starts.
Questions Costa Mesa homeowners ask
When is the OC Fair in 2026?
The 2026 OC Fair runs July 17 to August 16, open Wednesday through Sunday, at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Can I get a plumber near the fairgrounds during the OC Fair?
Yes. Fair traffic can slow access, so mornings and Mondays and Tuesdays, when the fair is closed, are easiest. Tell us your nearest side street and we will give you an honest arrival window.
Was the OC Fair & Event Center an Army base?
Yes. The fairgrounds stand on part of the former Santa Ana Army Air Base, a World War II training base that opened in 1942 and closed in 1946. Orange Coast College and Vanguard University also sit on former base land.
Where do I get a plumbing permit in Costa Mesa?
From City of Costa Mesa Building Safety, on the 2nd floor of City Hall at 77 Fair Drive, phone 714-754-5273. Applications and inspections run through the TESSA online system. See our permit guide.
Do you work on student rentals near Orange Coast College?
Yes. We handle clogs, toilets, water heaters and leaks in shared houses and apartments near OCC and Vanguard, and we coordinate with owners, managers and tenants. See our landlord page.
Why are the TeWinkle Park lakes being renovated?
Mainly to stop leaks. Voice of OC reported the lakes lose roughly one million gallons a month to seepage. In September 2025 the City Council approved a contract to replace the liner, deepen the lakes and repair the shoreline.
How do I check my house for a hidden water leak?
Do the two-hour meter test. Read your water meter, use no water for two hours, and read it again. Any change means a leak. Then call us for leak detection before anyone opens a wall or floor.
Who provides water in Central Costa Mesa?
Mostly Mesa Water District, which serves most of Costa Mesa with local groundwater. IRWD serves parts of the city, so check your water bill to confirm your provider.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these public sources, checked November 1, 2026.
- Travel Costa Mesa: neighborhoods
- OC Fair: 2026 dates and hours
- City of Costa Mesa: history
- Santa Ana Army Air Base (Wikipedia)
- Orange Coast College (Wikipedia)
- Vanguard University (Wikipedia)
- Costa Mesa, California (Wikipedia)
- City of Costa Mesa: TeWinkle Park
- Voice of OC: TeWinkle Park lakes renovation approved (Sept 2025)
- Costa Mesa Historical Society museum
- City of Costa Mesa Building Safety
- City of Costa Mesa plumbing permit application
- City of Costa Mesa water heater installation standard
- City of Costa Mesa Housing Element, April 2021
- City of Costa Mesa 2023 economic profile
- Costa Mesa Sanitary District sewer permit guide
- Costa Mesa Sanitary District (ISDOC)
- Mesa Water District 2026 Consumer Confidence Report
- Mesa Water District: contact us
- IRWD 2026 report
- SoCalGas emergency information
- HomeAdvisor via Angi: slab leak costs
- HomeAdvisor: drain clog and main line costs
- HomeAdvisor: toilet installation costs
- HomeAdvisor: faucet installation costs
- This Old House: garbage disposal installation cost
- Angi: water heater installation costs
- CSLB: Check a License
- EPA WaterSense: Fix a Leak Week
- This Old House: Costa Mesa plumbing costs