City and County of Denver
Plumber Denver CO
Denver is its own city and county. A water heater can be a quick permit on a house. The private sewer lateral, through the tap, is yours. Aurora's rules do not cross Speer or Havana onto a Denver parcel.
Permits
Denver's quick-permit list for single-family and duplex homes includes water heaters, water service, disposals, tubs, and showers. Grease interceptors and swimming-pool heaters cannot be quick permits. Since March 1, 2023, a new or replacement gas water heater in a commercial or multifamily building is not a quick permit. The city asks for an electrification feasibility report or a gas-leak test under its energy code. A homeowner may pull a plumbing permit on a house they own and live in only after an exam, or with a state license. Like-for-like faucet replacement is listed as work that does not need a building permit. Replacing a concealed drain does. Development Services is at 201 W. Colfax Avenue.
Sewer and lead lines
Denver locates main sewers only. The lateral, up to and including the tap into the main, is the owner's. For a backup, the wastewater FAQ says to call 303-446-3400. If the crew finds the problem in the city main, they fix that main. If it is your line, they tell you, and the plumber is yours. That phone is Denver's, not a referral button here. Drinking-water lead lines are a Denver Water program, not automatic, and not Aurora Water. Use the address search on the lead guide before you pay for a private dig.
Questions to settle first
Is a Denver house water heater a quick permit?
On a single-family or duplex home, Denver's quick-permit list includes water heaters. A gas water heater in a commercial or multifamily building has not been a quick permit since March 1, 2023. The city wants an electrification report or a documented gas-leak test. Do not use Aurora's same-day sentence on a Denver parcel.
Who owns the sewer tap in Denver?
You do, through the connection to the main. Denver says it locates main sewers only and that the lateral, including the tap, is the owner's. Call 303-446-3400 for a backup. If the main is the problem, the city fixes the main. If the lateral is the problem, you hire the plumber.
Does Denver Water's lead program cover every old house?
No. The program page points you to an address search and describes a limited set of homes. A replacement during a Denver Water main project can be at no direct charge when they find a customer-owned lead line. Check the address. An Aurora Water account is a different utility.
A slow drain is drain cleaning until a camera shows a broken sewer line. A tank swap is water heater replacement. Confirm the permit office and the utility for this address before the work is closed up.
