Sewer Line Replacement in Golden, CO

Signs a replacement makes more sense

• The main drain clogs again within weeks of clearing
• Water backs up into a basement drain or lowest shower first
• Fixtures gurgle while others drain
• Sewer odor or soft, wet ground along the line
• Camera footage showing breaks or roots at several points

A single bad joint is often repairable. A line damaged from the house to the street is usually better replaced than patched again and again.

Golden's sewer and its older streets

The City of Golden's Utilities Department operates water and sewer service, with a 24-hour water and sewer emergency line at 303-384-8158 and a main office at 303-384-8170. If neighbors are backing up or something looks wrong in the street, call the city first. Addresses with a Golden mailing ZIP outside city limits may be served by other providers, so confirm yours on your bill. The city's pages we reviewed don't say exactly where its part of the sewer ends and the owner's begins, so ask before a replacement is priced.

Golden is a historic foothills city founded as Golden City, set along Clear Creek between the Table Mountains and Lookout Mountain. A city-data.com profile of the 80401 ZIP code, which reaches beyond city limits, shows about 56% of homes built before 1980. Older houses near downtown and Clear Creek are where clay or cast iron drain pipe is most likely, and where roots and corrosion have had the longest to work. Foothill lots can also bring rock and slopes that affect how a new line is installed.

Factors that affect the cost

• Length and depth to the city sewer
• Rock and slope on foothill lots
• Trenchless or trench, depending on whether the slope is intact
• Walls, steps and mature trees along the line
• Interior pipe in the same condition

What happens after you call

You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who works in Golden. A camera inspection usually comes first so the method and price match what's actually in the ground. Golden's Building Division handles plumbing permits over the counter: applications go in by email, are paid by phone and come back by email, typically within one to two business days. Permit status questions go to 303-384-8151, and inspections can be requested at 303-384-8198.