Repiping in Kiowa, CO

Signs it is time for new lines

• Leaks appearing in different rooms within a short span
• Rusty water at the first draw from older taps
• Pressure that has faded across the house
• Corrosion or green crust on copper fittings
• Wet ground between the street and the house

One leak on sound pipe is a repair. Repeated failures on pipe of the same age point to replacing more of it.

Kiowa conditions

Kiowa is a small, steadily growing home rule town and the Elbert County seat. Census survey data puts its median home at 1996, with about 28.4% built before 1980. The older homes are the likeliest to have aging copper or steel supply pipe, while newer homes usually need targeted repairs.

Kiowa Water and Wastewater Authority serves the town with groundwater disinfected with chlorine. Its rules put more on the owner than many metro utilities do. The Authority maintains its mains, and the property owner is responsible for the service line and related parts from the main to the structure. Meter pits sit on the owner's property, and meters are supplied by the Authority at the owner's expense. The Authority's technical standards also require a water pressure relief valve in the internal plumbing of every property it serves, so a repipe needs to keep or install one. KWWA keeps a service line material inventory, and customers can ask about their line through the town office at 303-621-2366. Rural 80117 addresses outside the Authority were not verified.

What affects the cost

• Interior pipe only, or interior plus the service line from the main
• Length of the yard run to the house
• House size and access under the floors
• PEX or copper
• Required fittings such as the pressure relief valve

When you call

You will be connected with an independent local plumber who works in the Kiowa area. Share the build year and where leaks have occurred. The Town of Kiowa Building Department, with SAFEbuilt handling permits and inspections, issues permits for addresses inside town limits, and a permit is typically required when plumbing systems are involved. Kiowa addresses outside town limits get permits from Elbert County. The plumber normally handles the application and books the inspection. Since Kiowa sits well outside the metro, ask about scheduling so the work can be planned efficiently.