The City of Black Hawk Water Department supplies water to the entire city, so a hidden leak usually shows up as more usage, a meter that will not stop, or damp spots with no clear source. A plumber can test the plumbing in sections and find where water is escaping. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Black Hawk.
Black Hawk in brief
Black Hawk is Colorado's least populous city, a former gold-mining settlement known as the City of Mills and now a casino town of restored historic buildings along North Clear Creek. The City of Black Hawk Water Department supplies drinking water to the whole city from North Clear Creek and wells and springs up Dory Hill Road, treated at the Dory Hill plant, and from Clear Creek, treated at the Hidden Valley plant near Idaho Springs. The city adds soda ash for corrosion control and disinfects with chlorine.
What to do now
- Turn off every faucet and water-using appliance.
- Read the meter, then read it again an hour later without using water.
- Dye-test each toilet tank to rule out a silent flapper leak.
- If water is spraying or pooling, close the main shutoff.
- If water is surfacing near the meter or in the street, contact the city's Water Superintendent at (303) 582-2246.
- Photograph stains or wet areas and note when they appeared.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Meter turns with the building quiet | A leak past the meter |
| Drips after a cold spell | Freeze-cracked pipe in a wall or crawl space |
| Stain on old plaster or masonry | Supply joint or valve behind the wall |
| Wet ground near the foundation | Buried service line break |
| Toilet refilling on its own | Flapper or fill valve |
Cost factors
- How many sections need testing before the leak is isolated
- Access in older buildings with masonry or plaster walls
- Steep, rocky sites that make digging slower
- The repair itself and any permit through the city's Building Division, which SAFEbuilt has run under contract since 2015
Mountain winters along North Clear Creek bring hard freezes, and freeze damage is one of the most common causes of hidden leaks here. We did not find a published city rule on where its side of the service line ends, so call the Water Department before digging near the meter. For permit questions, the city directs building inquiries to its Community Planning and Development office, and the plumber can confirm whether your repair needs a permit before starting work.
Leak Detection questions in Black Hawk
Who do I call if water is coming up at the meter pit or the street?
Can a winter freeze cause a leak I don't notice until spring?
Will the plumber have to open walls or floors to find the leak?
How do I use my water meter to check for a leak?
More plumbing services in Black Hawk
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