In Westminster the city owns the water line from the main in the street to your meter pit, and you own the line from the meter into the home. Underground repair or replacement of that line needs a city building permit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Westminster.
Westminster water lines in brief
Westminster runs one of the simpler systems in the metro area. The city is its own water provider, with more than 550 miles of water lines, and all of it comes from Standley Lake, fed by Clear Creek snowmelt. That makes the ownership question easy to answer: the city's pipe ends at your meter pit, and everything from the meter to the house is yours.
What to do right now
- Stop the water if it's running hard. Close the main shutoff inside the house. Leave the meter pit to the city.
- Decide whose side it's on. Water at the street or meter pit goes to the city's Public Works and Utilities line, 303-658-2500. Water between the meter and the house is a private repair.
- Run a meter check. With every fixture off, a moving meter confirms water is escaping.
- Look up your line's material. The city's service line inventory shows what's on record for your address.
- Line up a plumber and the permit. Underground water line repair or replacement requires a permit from the Westminster Building Division.
Symptoms and what usually causes them
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Wet strip of lawn between meter and house | Leak in the buried service line |
| Weak pressure at every fixture | Leak, corrosion inside an older line, or a partly closed valve |
| Meter moves with all water off | Leak somewhere past the meter, outside or inside |
| Water near the foundation where the line enters | Failed fitting or pipe at the wall penetration |
| Rusty water at the first draw | Possible galvanized pipe in an older home |
What affects the price
The length of the run from the meter pit, how deep the pipe is buried and what sits on top of it all set the size of the job. A repair to one section costs less than a full replacement, though a line that has failed more than once often justifies starting fresh. The city reports that all known residential service lines are not lead, and copper is the main material it found, but some older homes may have galvanized steel, which corrodes from the inside and is usually replaced rather than patched. Westminster's housing is mixed: the median home dates to 1987, and about a third were built before 1980. Permit costs and the work needed to restore lawn, concrete or landscaping also factor in.
Water Line Repair questions in Westminster
Where does my responsibility for the water service line begin?
What material is my service line likely made of?
Do I need a permit to repair or replace my water service line?
Should I call the water provider or a plumber first?
More plumbing services in Westminster
Water Line Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: