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West Coast Plumbing helps Sonoma County homeowners understand the new rules, claim the rebates, and choose the right heater. No pressure and no scare tactics.
Draft — not adopted
The Bay Area Air District published draft changes to Rule 9-6 on July 14, 2026 that would delay the first compliance date by one year and add exemptions for income, space and electrical limits. Public comment closed August 13, 2026. The Board of Directors is expected to consider the changes for adoption in fall 2026.
Until the Board votes, nothing has changed. Existing water heaters are not affected either way.
Last updated: September 1, 2026 · We update this page every time the status changes.
A rule called Rule 9-6 sets a zero-NOx standard for new gas water heaters across the nine Bay Area counties, Sonoma included. It applies when a water heater is manufactured and sold. It does not apply to the one in your garage right now.
There is no inspection. There is no deadline to replace anything. If your gas water heater works, you can keep it, service it and repair it for as long as it lasts. What changes is what a manufacturer is allowed to sell you the next time you need one.
| Equipment | Adopted date (on the books today) | Proposed new date (July 2026 draft) |
|---|---|---|
| Gas water heaters under 75,000 BTU/hr — most home tank units | January 1, 2027 | January 1, 2028 |
| Gas water heaters 75,000 BTU/hr to 2 million BTU/hr — larger units and most gas tankless | January 1, 2031 | January 1, 2033 |
| Gas furnaces (a separate rule, 9-4) | January 1, 2029 | No change proposed |
Dates apply to the manufacture date of new equipment, not to equipment already installed.
Three paths, and one of them is doing nothing. We will tell you honestly which one fits your house.
Most water heater problems are not the end of the unit. A failed element, a bad thermocouple or a leaking valve is a repair, not a replacement. If yours can be fixed, we fix it and you keep your gas heater.
Gas water heaters are still being sold and installed today, and will be until the compliance date arrives. If your unit is near the end of its life, replacing on your schedule with a gas unit is a legitimate choice.
A heat pump water heater runs on electricity and meets the standard. It costs more to install and about the same to run. The local rebate is at its highest right now, which changes the math considerably.
A heat pump water heater costs more to install than a gas unit and roughly the same to run. What moves the number most is your electrical panel, the space around the unit, and whether a new circuit has to be run.
We quote with the rebate already subtracted, so the number you see is the number you pay.
Tell us how old your water heater is and we will tell you where you stand: which category it falls in, what the rules mean for it, and what your options are when it does eventually go.
No cost, no obligation, and no one will show up at your door trying to sell you a heat pump.
Plenty of companies are using this rule to sell heat pumps to people who do not need one yet. That is not how we work.
We are a licensed plumbing company in Santa Rosa serving Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. We install gas water heaters and heat pump water heaters both, which means we have no reason to push you toward either one.
We will tell you its age, which category it falls in, and what your options are. Then you decide, on your timeline.
