Repiping in Erie, CO

Local conditions in Erie

Erie was settled in 1867 and incorporated in 1874, and it straddles the Boulder-Weld county line. Its historic Old Town on Briggs Street holds the oldest housing, while the surrounding subdivisions came with the town's rapid suburban growth. The fact sheet does not include a year-built breakdown, but that growth pattern means original metal supply pipe is far more likely near Old Town than in the newer neighborhoods.

The Town of Erie runs its own water system, with roughly 13,000 taps, mainly treating Colorado-Big Thompson water at the Lynn R. Morgan Water Treatment Facility and disinfecting with chlorine. Connections to Lafayette and Lefthand are for emergencies only, so nearly every Erie home is on town water. The town keeps a service line inventory classifying service line materials as state and federal rules require, and copies are available from its water division. Ask for yours if you are unsure what material runs from the street to the house.

Weighing your options

Signs it is time to call

• Recurring leaks in different rooms
• Discolored water at the first draw
• Weak flow at several fixtures
• Corrosion or crust at copper fittings
• Gray plastic pipe marked PB

Timing and permits

The Town of Erie Building Division at 645 Holbrook Street requires a permit for plumbing modifications, and its plumbing permit types include water line repair. Replacing a fixture in the same spot does not need one, but a repipe does. Plan the work outside the coldest weeks of winter, when freezing nights and quick temperature swings are hardest on older lines in exterior walls, and consider pairing it with any kitchen or bath remodel already on the calendar. In a newer Erie home with a single leak, a repair is usually the first step; the plumber should explain why a larger job is needed before recommending one.