Sewer Line Repair Denver: $2,922 to $7,201 + Who Owns It

Denver rows are Angi's local figures; national rows are labeled. Angi says tap, impact and plan review fees can add $1,000 or more.

Do this now: a sewer backup in a Denver house

1. Stop using water: no flushing, laundry or showers.
2. Call the City at 303-446-3400. Denver says it is only responsible for main public sewers, so the City checks the main first.
3. If the City says the problem is in your private line, call a plumber; the City says that line is then your responsibility.
4. Keep people and pets off wet floors, and photograph the damage before cleanup for your insurer. See sewage cleanup.
5. Water near outlets: shut off the breaker only from a dry spot.

Is it an emergency? Signs the Denver sewer line has failed

Sewage coming up a drain is an emergency; a slow, gurgling line can wait a day for a camera. HomeGuide lists odors, gurgling, clogged drains, debris in the tub or basement and puddles in the yard as signs of a failing line. HomeGuide puts the life of clay and Orangeburg pipe at 30 to 60 years and cast iron at 50 to 100 years. Denver's median home was built in 1975 and 16.9% of its housing units date to 1939 or earlier, the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey shows, so many Denver lines are near the end of that range. A one-time clog with no other signs is a drain cleaning in Denver job.

Why Denver sewer jobs cost what they do

Angi's August 2026 Denver guide names four local cost drivers: dense clay soil that slows digging, a frost depth of about 36 inches that means deeper trenches, mature trees whose roots tangle with pipe, and buried rock. It adds that cast iron pipe can rust in Denver's damp soil, and puts trenching at about $950 per 100 feet and tree removal at $200 to $2,000 per tree where a tree sits in the way. Older homes may have clay or fiber pipe that has to be replaced to meet current code, Angi says. The City of Denver says roots can eventually clog sewer lines.

Trenchless methods, pipe lining or pipe bursting, may save money, Angi says. HomeGuide puts lining at $90 to $250 a foot and bursting at $60 to $200 a foot nationally. Ask for both prices once the camera shows the damage. The national sewer line repair cost guide compares the methods.

Who owns the line, and permits

The line from your house to the public main is yours in Denver; the City handles only main public sewers. Denver's Quick Permit page says a Wastewater permit may be required depending on scope, and Angi puts Denver sewer permits at $150 to $13,500 depending on length, the connection to the City main and whether it is a repair or a new line. Only a registered plumbing contractor or the homeowner may do plumbing work in Colorado, the state's Division of Professions and Occupations says; check the plumber on DORA's license lookup.

Local rules, programs and climate for Denver, from official city, state, utility, Census and NOAA pages. Aurora, Lakewood and other metro cities set their own rules.

Questions to ask a Denver sewer contractor

1. Can I see the camera footage and where the break is?
2. Is trenchless lining or bursting possible here, and what does each cost?
3. Who pulls the Denver permit, and are tap or impact fees included?
4. What is your Colorado plumbing license number, and can I see proof of insurance?
5. Is the price written, and does it include restoring the yard or sidewalk?

More Denver plumbing guides

All plumbing in the city: plumber in Denver. After hours: emergency plumber in Denver. Water damage from a backup: water damage restoration in Denver (call your insurer too). Other cities: sewer line repair in Salt Lake City and sewer line repair in Phoenix. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).