Cal. Civ. Code § 75
Water supply
Operative Text
§ 75. Water supply. 1. In every multiple dwelling erected after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, where space is provided for cooking there shall be in every apartment a proper sink with running water and with a two-inch waste and trap. 2. The owner of every multiple dwelling shall provide proper appliances to receive and distribute an adequate supply of water, to and in every apartment or suite of rooms at all times of the year, during all hours. Failure in the general supply of water from the street service main shall not be construed as a failure on the part of the owner, if suitable appliances to receive and distribute such water have been provided in the dwelling. 3. For dwellings three or more stories in height erected on or after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, and for all dwellings erected after January first, nineteen hundred fifty-one, such supply shall include both hot and cold water at all times of the year, during all hours, except that hot water service shall not be required by this section in a dwelling erected before April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, if the owner establishes to the satisfaction of the department that such service was not furnished or required before such date. 4. No multiple dwelling shall be erected unless it is connected with a street service water main. 5. No required sink shall be placed within any water-closet compartment or within any bathroom containing a water-closet.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 75 establishes baseline water-supply standards for multiple dwellings in New York. Buildings constructed after April 18, 1929, that include cooking spaces must have a properly equipped sink with running water in every apartment, and owners are broadly required to maintain adequate water distribution to all units at all times. For taller or newer buildings—specifically those three or more stories erected on or after April 18, 1929, and all buildings erected after January 1, 1951—both hot and cold running water must be available around the clock throughout the year. The provision also prohibits placing a required sink inside any room that contains a toilet.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 75, compliant building operators maintain functioning appliances that continuously receive and distribute water to every unit, regardless of season or hour. For buildings subject to the hot-water requirement—generally those three or more stories built on or after April 18, 1929, or any building built after January 1, 1951—operators ensure that both hot and cold water are available at all times. Owners are generally shielded from violation findings when a disruption originates from a failure in the municipal street service main, provided the building's own distribution appliances are properly maintained and in good working order.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 75 gives tenants in covered multiple dwellings the right to a continuous, adequate supply of water—including both hot and cold water in buildings that meet the age and height thresholds described in the statute. If water service is interrupted or inadequate, tenants may report the condition to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the relevant local housing agency, which has authority to inspect and cite violations. Tenants may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand how a § 75 violation might be raised in housing court proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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