Plumbers in Lakewood, CO

Jefferson County, right next door to Denver

Lakewood borders Denver on the west, and its center sits about 7 miles from downtown in a straight line. It is a Jefferson County home rule city, incorporated in 1969, and the 2020 Census counted 155,984 people. There is no traditional downtown; Belmar works as the town center, while Green Mountain, Bear Creek Lake and Kendrick Lake break up the neighborhoods. West Colfax, the 6th Avenue Freeway and Wadsworth Boulevard carry most of the traffic, and the Denver Federal Center is here too.

A patchwork of water and sewer providers

The city's own drinking water utility is only one of nearly 20 providers that buy from Denver Water inside Lakewood. Others include Consolidated Mutual Water Company and the Green Mountain, Bear Creek, Alameda, Bancroft-Clover, Bonvue and Lakehurst water and sanitation districts, with Denver Water serving some areas directly. Sewer is just as varied: Lakewood Water and Sewer Utility, Northwest Lakewood, East Lakewood, Daniels and East Jefferson County sanitation districts, and others. The city's My Neighborhood tool shows which ones serve a given address.

Because the supply is Denver Water's, it is mountain snowmelt disinfected with chloramine. Denver Water's report gives average total hardness of about 105 mg/L. On the City of Lakewood system, the city maintains the main, the line to the meter pit and the pit itself, and the owner is responsible from the meter pit to the house. Districts can draw that line differently, so check with yours.

Housing age shapes the repairs

The median Lakewood home was built in 1977, and roughly 56% went up before 1980. In those older houses, galvanized supply piping, cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals can turn up, along with original shutoff valves that no longer close fully. A camera inspection before buying or before a big remodel is a common way to see what the sewer line looks like.

Permits, gas and backflow

The City of Lakewood Building Department issues trade permits, and most plumbing work needs one. The permit counter is at 470 S. Allison Parkway, reachable at 303-987-7500, with applications through eTRAKiT. Backflow requirements depend on which provider serves the property, so ask that provider rather than assuming Denver's rules. Natural gas is supplied by Xcel Energy; if you smell gas, leave the house, then call 911 and Xcel at 1-800-895-2999 once you are safely outside.

Differences from Denver and what to expect

A Denver homeowner has one water utility and one permit office. In Lakewood the first question is often which district owns the main, and the city water utility's after-hours emergency line is 303-980-7300 if you are on its system. For leaks, backups or a failed water heater, call the number on this page, mention roughly where you are in Lakewood and what you are seeing, and you will be connected with an independent plumber who works locally and quotes the job directly.