In Westminster, the sewer line from your property to the tap on the city main, including the tap itself, is private and maintained by the owner. A camera inspection films that line from the inside and pinpoints roots, cracks, sags or blockages before anyone starts digging. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Westminster.
Westminster owns and operates about 411 miles of sanitary sewer pipe, with treatment at its own Big Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility or at partner Metro Water Recovery. The city's ownership stops at the main. Its service line rules put the lateral, and the tap where it joins the main, on the property owner, and the city advises hiring a plumber for backups in the private line. Housing is a mix: median year built 1987, with about a third of homes built before 1980, so older pipe and newer plastic both turn up. If drains everywhere are struggling, the city's Public Works and Utilities line, 303-658-2500, can tell you whether there is a known main problem.
What to do now
- Cut back on water use. Hold off on laundry, dishwashers and showers so a partial blockage does not overflow.
- Figure out the scope. One slow sink is a branch issue. Many fixtures slow together means the lateral.
- Check with the city if neighbors are affected. A shared problem may be in the city main, which is the city's to fix.
- Find the cleanout. A cap near the foundation or in the yard gives the plumber a clean entry.
- Ask for the camera after clearing. Flow back is good, but the footage tells you why it stopped.
- Keep the recording and markings. They make repair bids comparable.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Floor drain fills when the washer empties | Restriction in the lateral downstream of the house |
| Backups that return a few months after clearing | Roots at a joint or a sagging section holding debris |
| Toilet bubbles when a tub drains | Partial blockage forcing air back up |
| Soggy or sunken strip in the lawn | Cracked or separated pipe leaking into soil |
| Trouble right at the street end | Problem at or near the tap, which is still the owner's |
Cost factors
- Entry point: cleanout versus toilet removal or vent access
- Clearing a full line before the camera can see
- Length to the main and the number of bends
- Surface locating and a copy of the video
- Any repair that follows, which needs a City of Westminster building permit for underground sewer line work
Sewer Camera Inspection questions in Westminster
Who owns the sewer line between my house and the main?
Do I need a permit if the camera finds a broken line?
Can the camera tell what my sewer pipe is made of?
What if my house has no outdoor cleanout?
More plumbing services in Westminster
Sewer Camera Inspection nearby
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