Sewer Line Repair in Denver

The City and County of Denver maintains the public sewer mains. Its Department of Transportation and Infrastructure states that the service line (lateral) is the property owner's responsibility up to and including the tap into the main sewer line. In practice that means a broken pipe under the sidewalk or street, or a failed connection right at the main, is generally still the owner's repair.

Ownership rules are set locally. Aurora, Lakewood, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs and the sanitation districts around the metro each publish their own. Confirm with the utility that bills you for sewer before assuming who pays.

Older laterals are commonly vitrified clay or cast iron; newer ones are usually PVC. Each fails in its own way, and a camera inspection identifies which problem you have:

• Root intrusion at joints, from fine hair roots to masses that fill the pipe.
• Offset joints, where one section has shifted relative to the next.
• Bellies, low spots where the pipe has sagged and holds water and solids.
• Cracks and fractures, which let in roots and soil.
• Collapse, where part of the pipe has lost its shape.
• Corrosion and scale inside cast iron.

Freeze-thaw cycles and the swelling clay soils in parts of the Front Range shift soil around rigid pipe. Large trees near the line raise the odds of roots. If you are buying an older home, a sewer camera inspection before closing costs far less than discovering a collapsed lateral afterward. Recurring clogs that don't involve pipe damage are a drain cleaning job.

You will also hear about trenchless methods such as pipe lining and pipe bursting. Whether either suits a given line depends on pipe material, diameter, condition and access. A liner follows the shape of the old pipe, so it cannot correct a belly.

Excavation requires utility locates through Colorado 811 before digging. Denver generally requires a permit for sewer service line repair or replacement, and work in the public right-of-way carries its own licensing and permit rules. If a cracked drain inside the house is the problem, see pipe repair.

1. Stop all water use in the building, including laundry, dishwashers and toilets.
2. Keep people and pets away from sewage. Wear gloves and boots if you must go near it.
3. Don't pour chemicals into the drains; they add a hazard and rarely help.
4. Check with neighbors. If they are backing up too, report it to the city or your sewer utility.
5. Document the damage with photos for your insurer. Sewer backup coverage is often a separate endorsement, so check your policy.

Cleanup is its own job. Carpet, drywall and insulation soaked by sewage generally need to come out rather than be dried in place, and hard surfaces need cleaning and disinfecting. Once the line is flowing again, a camera inspection tells you whether the backup was a one-time clog or a sign the lateral is failing. For the plumbing inside the house, our residential plumbing services page covers each system room by room.