Plumbing in Chualar

Chualar at a glance

Chualar is a small community of 1,185 people (2020) in the Salinas Valley, 10 miles southeast of Salinas along U.S. Route 101.

What that means for your plumbing

Homes in Chualar are mostly modest and older, surrounded by farmland. Water heaters, leaks and drain clogs are typical calls; see water heaters. Many houses are on small lots close to the highway and rail line.

Farm country

Irrigation and wells around town mean hard, mineral-rich water. Valley wind and summer heat dry out the ground, then winter rain soaks it again.

Where the chual grows

The name comes from a native goosefoot plant, chual in Mexican Spanish. The post office opened in 1871. In 1963 a bus carrying farmworkers was struck by a train near town, killing 32 people, and the highway there is now the Bracero Memorial Highway. In December 2019 a nearby levee was partly breached, closing Highway 101. Floodwater can damage older drains and septic lines; see sewer line repair. Farm labor housing nearby means plumbers often handle shared bathrooms and laundry rooms.