Plumbers in Watkins, CO

The western end of the eastern I-70 corridor

Watkins is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Adams and Arapahoe counties, with 682 residents at the 2020 Census. It incorporated as a town in 2004, but voters returned it to unincorporated status in 2006. About 21 miles east of downtown Denver, it is the westernmost community on the eastern I-70 corridor and borders Aurora, near Colfax Avenue and the Colorado Air and Space Port. The area has dry-farming and ranching roots, with newer additions such as a neighborhood of nearly 100 homes.

Water and sewer depend on where you are

No public water or sewer provider for Watkins was verified, and we won't name one we can't confirm. The Watkins post office sits inside Aurora city limits, so some Watkins-addressed properties are actually in Aurora and may be on Aurora utilities, while others are on unincorporated county land. Adams County's Water Master Plan says eastern Adams County relies mainly on non-renewable Denver Basin groundwater, and that self-supplied users there include metro districts, HOAs and farmers. Your water bill, or the lack of one, tells you which situation you're in. If your home has no sewer bill, ask the county whether the property is on municipal sewer.

For a home on a private well, the pump, pressure tank and switch are the homeowner's equipment, and a plumber who handles wells can test them. For a home on a district or city system, the line from the meter to the house is the usual trouble spot.

Housing age

The median home in Watkins was built in 2002, and about 25% of homes predate 1980. Newer houses mostly need water heaters, valves and fixtures as parts wear out, while the older farm and ranch homes may have aging pipes worth inspecting.

Permits by parcel

In the Adams County portion of Watkins, a county building permit is required for water heater installation or replacement and for plumbing modifications; the One Stop Permitting Center is at 720.523.6800 in Brighton. The Arapahoe County Building Division, 6924 S. Lima Street in Centennial, (720) 874-6600, covers the Arapahoe side. Watkins-addressed parcels inside Aurora city limits fall under the City of Aurora instead.

Gas safety

No gas utility was confirmed for Watkins. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and your gas utility, or your propane supplier for a propane home, from outside.

Watkins versus Denver

In Denver everyone shares the same utilities and permit office. In Watkins, three jurisdictions meet, and the first question for any job is which one you are in. When you call the number on this page, describe the problem and whether you're on a well. You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers Watkins, and price and timing are settled directly with that plumber.