Westminster's city water system serves the city with water from Standley Lake, so most homes have no well pump. Westminster does address properties with a well or pond, which must install and maintain backflow assemblies, and a plumber can repair that equipment or chase down a pressure problem on city water. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Westminster.
Westminster water at a glance
Westminster's only water source is Standley Lake, filled with Clear Creek snowmelt diverted through canals. The city treats it at the Semper and Northwest facilities, disinfects with chloramine and reports moderately hard water, 112 to 149 ppm, about 7 to 9 grains per gallon. With more than 550 miles of water lines serving the city, most homes are on this system and have no pump of their own. The city's cross-connection rules do recognize homes with a well or pond as having an auxiliary water supply, though, and those homes must install and maintain backflow assemblies.
What to do right now
- Figure out which system failed. If you're on city water only, check whether neighbors have water too. If you also have a well, note whether the problem is on the well side or the city side.
- Call the city for street-side trouble. Westminster's Public Works and Utilities line, 303-658-2500, handles main breaks, leaks and water or sewer issues.
- Check the basics. On a well, look at the tank gauge and the pump breaker. On city water, make sure the main valve is fully open.
- Shut off water if a pipe is leaking. Close the main valve and, on a well, switch off the pump breaker.
- Keep the systems separate. Never open a valve that could let well or pond water into city plumbing without a backflow assembly in place.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Weak pressure on city water | Regulator, scale in fixtures or a service line leak |
| Well pump clicking on and off | Pressure tank lost its air charge |
| Well runs without stopping | Leak, worn pump or failed switch |
| White crust on aerators | Mineral buildup from moderately hard water |
| Backflow assembly dripping | Worn check or relief valve that needs repair and retesting |
What affects the cost
- Whether the work is on city-water plumbing, the well system or the backflow assembly
- For wells: the part that failed and the pump depth
- Annual backflow testing, which Westminster requires by a certified tester, with results sent to the city's Cross-connection Control team
- Underground water line repair, which needs a City of Westminster building permit
- Access around finished spaces and landscaping
The Westminster Building Division is at 4800 W 92nd Avenue, 303-658-2075. About a third of Westminster's homes were built before 1980, so older valves and lines can be part of the story.
Well Pump Repair questions in Westminster
Does a home with a private well need a backflow assembly?
Who do I call if the problem is on the utility side?
Who issues permits for well pump or pressure tank work here?
Why does my well pump click on and off every few seconds?
More plumbing services in Westminster
Well Pump Repair nearby
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