The City of Englewood runs the sanitary sewer for most addresses and sends wastewater to South Platte Renew for treatment. The pipe from each house to the city main is private plumbing, and in a city where about two-thirds of homes predate 1980, many of those pipes are aging. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Englewood.
Englewood's sewer and housing
Englewood is a full-service inner-ring suburb immediately south of Denver, with a historic downtown and 1910s housing in the northwest. Census estimates put the median home at 1964, with roughly 68% built before 1980. The City of Englewood handles sanitary sewer, and treatment happens at South Platte Renew, the regional plant Englewood shares with Littleton. Some Englewood-area addresses fall in other districts, such as South Englewood Sanitation, so the City's Find Your Sanitation District page is worth a look before a repair.
For water and sewer emergencies, Englewood Utilities answers at 303-762-2635 during business hours and 303-762-2650 after hours or on holidays. The City's Building Division lists water or drain line alterations among work that needs a permit (303-762-2357), and it adopted the 2021 International Plumbing Code.
Older pipe: what you might find
| Pipe type | Typical problem | Common fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vitrified clay | Roots at joints, cracked bells, offset sections | Liner if round and intact; replace broken sections |
| Cast iron | Internal rust and scale, cracks along the bottom | Descale and line, or replace |
| Fiber (tar paper) pipe | Flattening and blistering over time | Replacement is usually needed |
| Plastic (PVC) | Sags or separated joints from settling | Spot repair at the low spot |
Not every older home has every material, and the only way to know is to look with a camera. Many older Englewood lots also have mature trees near the sewer route, and a lateral that has been repaired in pieces over the decades can mix two or three materials, each joint between them a possible weak spot. A full-length inspection shows the whole picture before anyone picks a repair method.
Signs to watch for
- Basement drains that back up when the washer runs
- Toilets gurgling after other fixtures drain
- Slow drains all through the house
- Roots pulled out every time the line is cleared
- Sewer smell in the basement or yard
Timing
Root problems in older clay pipe often build through the growing season. Freeze and thaw cycles in winter can open cracks a little more. If a line has needed cleaning more than once in a year, an inspection during mild weather lets you plan a repair instead of reacting to a backup. When you call, you'll be connected with an independent local plumber who serves Englewood and can clear the line, scope it and explain the options.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Englewood
What is the sewer line under an older house here likely made of?
Do I need a permit to repair a sewer line here?
Should I call the sewer utility or a plumber first?
Is cooking grease really that hard on a sewer line?
More plumbing services in Englewood
Sewer Line Repair nearby
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