Plumbers in Denver, CO

Safety comes first, then the call

Water pouring from a pipe or through a ceiling? Close the main shutoff valve, usually found where the service line enters the basement or crawl space, and switch off power to any wet area before you do anything else. A broken main in the street is different: report that to Denver Water at 303-628-6801. A gas odor means no troubleshooting at all. Get people and pets outside, and once you're well away from the building, call 911 and then Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999.

When things are stable, jot down your address, what you're seeing and when it started, for example a toilet that bubbles when the washer drains or a damp patch along the foundation. Ask the plumber on the line how the job will be priced and whether evening or weekend work costs more. Arrival times depend on each plumber's schedule, so no one can guarantee a window in advance.

Denver's water, from the mountains to your tap

Denver Water supplies the City and County of Denver using only surface water: snowmelt gathered on both sides of the Continental Divide, held in mountain reservoirs such as Dillon and Cheesman, and treated at the Foothills, Marston and Northwater plants. The utility describes its water as soft to moderately hard, with harder water in the southern part of the system and during winter. That variation is worth knowing before you buy a softener, so test your own tap first. Denver Water disinfects with chloramine, which matters mainly if you keep fish or are choosing a filter.

Ownership is the detail that settles most leak questions. According to Denver Water, the property owner owns the water service line all the way from the main in the street into the house, along with the plumbing and fixtures inside. A leak on that line is a job for a private plumber. If the line turns out to be lead, Denver Water's Lead Reduction Program swaps it for copper at no direct cost to the owner.

Sewer, permits and backflow rules

The city sewer system belongs to Denver Wastewater Management, part of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, and Metro Water Recovery treats the flow regionally. The pipe running from your house to the city main is generally a private plumbing repair, but Wastewater Management can confirm the specifics for a given address.

In single-family homes and duplexes, replacing a water heater or softener, redoing a water service, adding a backflow preventer or changing out a shower, tub or sink is handled as a quick permit, applied for online through Denver Community Planning and Development's e-permits system. Denver Water requires an approved backflow assembly on commercial, irrigation and fire line services, evaluates homes by hazard, and wants each assembly tested at installation and every year after by a certified tester.

Housing stock and Front Range weather

The median Denver home dates to 1975, and about 55.5% were built before 1980. In older houses a plumber can run into galvanized supply pipe, cast iron drains or a clay sewer lateral. Newer infill brings its own work, from tankless heaters to fixture swaps. Across every era, hard freezes, dry air and sudden temperature swings put stress on exposed pipes, hose bibs and sprinkler lines, which is why winterizing matters here. The guide on preventing frozen pipes during a Colorado cold snap walks through the basics, and a split line is covered under burst pipe repair.

Beyond the city limits

The towns around Denver run on their own arrangements. Many have a separate water provider or sewer district, and some are served by a different gas utility or by propane, so check the name on your bill. Each nearby city and town listed below, and on the service areas page, has its own page with local water, sewer and permit details.