Water Line Repair in Denver, CO

Clues the service line is the problem

• A strip of lawn that stays green or squishy when the rest is dry
• Water pooling near the meter pit, curb or foundation
• Pressure that has dropped throughout the house
• The meter's leak indicator moving with every fixture off and the house valve closed
• Rusty or cloudy water that clears after it runs

Who owns which part

Denver Water says the customer owns the service line from the main into the property, plus all plumbing and fixtures inside. That is why a break on that pipe is typically hired out to a plumber. If you see water surfacing in the street or are not sure whose side a leak is on, call Denver Water's emergency line at 303-628-6801 first.

If your line might be lead

Through its Lead Reduction Program, Denver Water replaces lead service lines with copper at no direct cost to the owner. Properties that may have a lead line are enrolled automatically and get a pitcher and filters to use until the replacement is done. If a plumber digs up your line and finds lead, contact Denver Water before paying for that replacement yourself.

How the work is done

For a single leak in sound pipe, the plumber excavates at the spot and makes a repair. When the line is old galvanized steel, has leaked more than once, or is undersized for the house, replacing it is usually the better value. Depending on the yard, that may mean an open trench or a trenchless pull that only needs pits at each end. Lines must be deep enough to stay below the frost, so the depth of the existing pipe matters to the plan.

Digging safely

Colorado 811 says to contact it before any digging. The service is free, but it only marks public utility lines, not private ones such as sprinkler lines or a gas line to a grill, so tell the plumber about anything you know is buried.

Permits and cost

In single-family and duplex homes, water service work is one of the quick permits Denver Community Planning and Development issues online through e-permits. Cost depends on length and depth of the line, what sits on top of it (lawn, driveway, landscaping), the pipe material and whether trenchless methods fit.