Lafayette grew from a coal-mining and farming town into a Boulder County suburb, so its homes range from older houses around Old Town to newer subdivisions. A repipe replaces worn supply lines with PEX or copper, from the meter pit inward. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Lafayette.
Lafayette at a glance
Lafayette runs its own water utility, treating surface water from Baseline, Waneka and Goose Haven reservoirs and disinfecting with chlorine. In Lafayette the meter pit is the dividing line: the city owns the service line from the main to the meter pit, and the homeowner owns everything from the meter pit to the house. The city keeps a service line material inventory for both portions, built from records, resident surveys and potholing, and notifies owners if a lead or galvanized line needs replacement. The fact sheet has no year-built breakdown, but the older housing is concentrated around Old Town, while much of the rest of the city is newer.
What to do now
- Stop any active leak at the fixture valve or main shutoff. For a main break after hours or on a weekend, the city directs residents to Boulder County Dispatch at 303-441-4444.
- Answer the city's service line survey if you received one, or contact LCRR@lafayetteco.gov to learn what is recorded for your line.
- Write down each leak, its location and whether it was on a fitting or the pipe.
- Look at the pipe at the water heater and note the material.
- Delay drywall and ceiling repairs until you know the scope.
In an Old Town house with original metal pipe, these steps usually point toward a full or partial repipe. In a newer subdivision home, they more often point to one failing fitting or a freeze-damaged run that a targeted repair can handle.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Leaks in different rooms over a year or two | Supply pipe aging out across the house |
| Weak flow at most fixtures | Narrowed galvanized pipe or a pressure regulator issue |
| Rust tint at the first draw | Corroding steel pipe or fittings |
| Wet ground between the meter pit and the house | A leak on the owner's service line |
| Drips at plastic fittings only | Failing connectors on older plastic pipe |
Cost factors
- Whole house or partial, the biggest variable
- House size, floors and basement finish
- PEX or copper
- The owner-side service line, if the city notified you it needs replacement or it is leaking
- Permits through the City of Lafayette Planning and Building Department's Building Division
Repiping questions in Lafayette
Should the line between the meter pit and the house be replaced at the same time?
Does the city's service line inventory say anything about the pipes inside my walls?
Is a partial repipe an option, or does it have to be the whole house?
Can a hard freeze damage old pipe enough to justify a repipe?
More plumbing services in Lafayette
Repiping nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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