Black Hawk's City Water Department supplies the whole city from two of its own treatment plants on North Clear Creek and Clear Creek, and building permits run through the City's Building Division with SAFEbuilt. Plumber Denver CO is a free referral line, not a plumbing company. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Black Hawk.
Plumbing services in Black Hawk
The City of Mills, now a casino town
Black Hawk is a home rule city in Gilpin County and Colorado's least populous city, with 127 residents at the 2020 Census. Once a gold-mining settlement nicknamed the "City of Mills," it has been a casino town since gambling began in 1991, with restored historic buildings lining North Clear Creek. It shares a National Historic District with neighboring Central City. State Highway 119 runs through town, and the city center is about 28 miles from downtown Denver.
Two treatment plants for one small city
The City of Black Hawk Water Department supplies drinking water to the entire city, residents and visitors alike. The Dory Hill plant treats North Clear Creek water plus wells and springs up Dory Hill Road using membrane microfiltration. The Hidden Valley plant, near I-70 east of Idaho Springs, treats Clear Creek water with conventional coagulation, settling and filtration, plus pressure filters for iron and manganese. Water from Hidden Valley travels a roughly seven-mile pipeline through three pump stations, over a summit about 1,800 feet above the plant, then by gravity to a one-million-gallon tank on Miners Road.
Both plants disinfect with chlorine gas and add soda ash for corrosion control, with lime and carbon dioxide also used at Hidden Valley. The City says state and federal cleanup of old mine sites has brought mining-related metals in local waters below acceptable limits. Water questions go to the Water Superintendent at (303) 582-2246.
Sewer
The sources behind this page didn't confirm Black Hawk's sewer provider, so we won't name one. Your utility bill or the City can tell you who maintains the main; a plumber can handle the drain line from the building out to it.
Permits and inspections
The City of Black Hawk Community Planning and Development Building Division handles permits, and the City has contracted SAFEbuilt for inspections and plan review. Send permit questions to cpdinquiry@cityofblackhawk.org. The City's page doesn't mention plumbing permits specifically, so confirm what's required before a water heater replacement or remodel.
Gas and mountain winters
No gas utility was confirmed for Black Hawk. If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside. Winters here are colder and longer than in Denver, and older buildings along the creek can have pipes in spaces that are hard to keep warm.
Black Hawk compared with Denver
A Denver home drinks Denver Water. Black Hawk residents and businesses drink water the City treats itself, some of it pumped over a mountain summit to reach town. In a casino town, calls come from businesses as well as homes. When you call the number on this page, explain the problem and whether it's a home or a business. You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Black Hawk, and price and timing are agreed with that plumber.
Common questions in Black Hawk
Who supplies water in Black Hawk?
Does Black Hawk treat its water for corrosion?
Are old mining metals a problem in Black Hawk's water?
Who handles building permits in Black Hawk?
Nearby cities and towns
Sources
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