Cerritos is in Los Angeles County, and that matters for paperwork
Cerritos borders La Palma, but it sits in Los Angeles County while La Palma is in Orange County. For restoration, the line between counties is invisible to the crew, yet it changes who handles permits, inspections and public records.
If your rebuild needs a permit, ask the City of Cerritos building department rather than an Orange County office. Permit rules vary, so ask before ordering materials. Water for Cerritos comes from the City of Cerritos Water Utility, which has about 15,350 service connections, so a leak at the meter goes to the city.
When water is spreading in Cerritos
Emergency dispatch is available around the clock for Cerritos. The 24/7 line is open at night, on weekends and on holidays, and the first call is about stopping the source and keeping people safe.
Close the shutoff at the fixture or the main valve. Do not wade through standing water if outlets are wet. A dispatcher then arranges water mitigation or water extraction, depending on what the water has soaked.
Coverage area
All of Cerritos, including ZIP code 90703, is served from our La Palma base.
Dispatch
Emergency dispatch available around the clock.
Dairy Valley to Cerritos: why the housing story matters
Cerritos was incorporated in 1956 as Dairy Valley, with more than 400 dairies and about 100,000 cows inside the city limits. Most dairymen left in the early 1960s, and the city was renamed Cerritos in 1967, so its homes sit on former dairy land.
About 76 percent of Cerritos housing units are owner-occupied, which means more calls come from owners dealing with their own insurer. If you own, document the damage with photographs before cleanup, and ask your insurer what your policy covers.
The boundary area reaches the confluence of the San Gabriel River and Coyote Creek. That is a regional landmark rather than a flood claim about your street. Check the FEMA flood map for your address instead.
What to do before we arrive in Cerritos if water is still spreading
Shut it off
Close the fixture valve or the main shutoff. If the leak is at the meter, the City of Cerritos water utility is the call.
Mind the power
Stay out of rooms where water reaches outlets, and call the utility or 911 for electrical or gas risk.
Protect belongings
Lift papers, electronics and rugs. Place foil or wood blocks under furniture legs.
Skip the household vacuum
Do not use it on wet floors or sewage. Wait for extraction equipment.
Services for Cerritos properties
Our Cerritos work includes flood damage restoration after storm or drain trouble, water damage cleanup for wet debris and odor, and mold remediation when moisture lingers.
Large retail and office buildings around Cerritos Towne Center and Los Cerritos Center have their own managers and insurers, so commercial calls start by identifying who has authority to approve work. For homes, you decide, and we explain scope and price before work starts.
Public buildings, shopping centers and large lots
Cerritos spreads across 8.86 square miles and 16,374 housing units, with civic and retail anchors such as the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1993, the Cerritos Millennium Library and Cerritos Auto Square. Distances inside the city are longer than in La Palma, which is why you should give the dispatcher cross streets and not only an address.
In large commercial buildings, a restoration job starts with a property manager and an insurer. Residents of single-family homes, who make up the majority of households here, decide for themselves, and we explain scope and price before work starts.
Questions worth asking any restoration company
- Does the crew follow the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard for water damage?
- Will moisture readings be shared before and after drying?
- Is the scope written down before work starts?
- What happens to the material that comes out?
Those questions apply anywhere, and they matter a bit more across a county line, where permit records may sit with a different office.
ZIP coverage and nearby towns
We serve all of Cerritos, including the 90703 ZIP code, from the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts area to the neighborhoods near the Cerritos Auto Square. Properties in Artesia, which once shared a ZIP with Cerritos, are also in our regular range.
Neighboring Buena Park and Cypress are on the same dispatch line.
Questions from Cerritos
Is emergency water removal available in Cerritos?
Yes. The 24/7 line is open at night, on weekends and on holidays, and a dispatcher gives first steps.
Do you cover every ZIP code in Cerritos?
We serve all of Cerritos, including 90703, from the Millennium Library area to the neighborhoods near Los Cerritos Center.
Does the county line change anything for my Cerritos repair?
It changes who issues permits and handles records. Ask the City of Cerritos building department about your rebuild.
Who do I call for a leak at the meter in Cerritos?
The City of Cerritos water utility. Inside the home, close the fixture or main valve.
Do you serve Artesia?
Yes, Artesia is in our regular range through the same 24/7 line.
Still have a question about your situation? Call (714) 515-1308 and a dispatcher will talk it through, day or night.