State guide
Colorado
Colorado did not show a single statewide sewer-lateral ownership rule on the official pages reviewed. The city and utility pages found for Aurora, Lakewood, Boulder, and Arvada all place the private sewer service line on the property owner through the connection to the city main, while the city maintains the public main.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who usually owns the sewer lateral
- No single statewide Colorado sewer-lateral ownership rule was found on the reviewed pages; the city pages reviewed place the private sewer service line on the owner, typically up to and including the connection to the city main.
- State agency
- Colorado State Plumbing Board handles statewide plumbing permitting and inspection rules, while local cities and utilities set sewer service line responsibility and local permit requirements.
- Permits for repair or replacement
- Colorado statutes require permits and inspections for covered plumbing work, and local governments may also require local sewer, right-of-way, or utility permits for lateral repairs.
- Inspection at sale
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
- Assistance programs
- Aurora's Housing Rehabilitation Programs include the Essential Home Repair Program for income-qualified homeowners, which lists broken sewer and water main lines as eligible urgent repairs.
Official resources in Colorado
Official state board page for plumbing permits, inspections, and contact information.
Official statute PDF covering plumbing permits, inspections, and certificates of approval.
Official Aurora page explaining owner responsibility, city-main responsibility, reporting, and free video-review help.
Official regulations stating Lakewood owner responsibility for the total length of the sewer service line.
Official Boulder page stating the homeowner is responsible from the home to and including the city main connection.
Key facts for Colorado
- Colorado law requires a permit before covered plumbing or gas piping installation begins.
- Colorado law says inspected work that meets code receives a certificate of approval.
- Aurora says owners must maintain and repair the sewer service line from the home to the city's sewer mains.
- Lakewood says the owner is responsible for stoppages and repairs in the total length of the service line.
- Boulder says homeowners are responsible through the connection to the city main in the street.
- Aurora's Essential Home Repair Program can help income-qualified owners with broken sewer and water main lines.
City sewer lateral rules and programs in Colorado
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State Plumbing Board Denver | Denver | 303-894-7800 | State contact for plumbing permits, inspections, licensing, and board questions. |
| Aurora Water — Wastewater Arapahoe | Aurora | 303-326-8645 | Reports blockages or backups and explains owner-versus-city sewer responsibilities. |
| City of Aurora — Housing Rehabilitation Programs Arapahoe | Aurora | 303.739.7900 | Community Development contact for income-qualified home repair help, including urgent broken sewer and water main lines. |
| City of Lakewood — Water & Sewer Maintenance Jefferson | Lakewood | Not published* | Checks city-owned mains and helps determine whether a backup is in the main or your lateral line. |
| City of Boulder — Utilities Maintenance Boulder | Boulder | 303-441-3200 | Contact for sewage and wastewater service problems and questions about Boulder sewer rehab work. |
| City of Arvada — Wastewater Division Jefferson | Arvada | 720-898-7770 | Will check city-owned sewer lines and review televised service-line footage as a second opinion. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Call your city utility first if you have a backup; several Colorado cities will check the public main before you hire full repairs.
- Ask whether your repair also needs a right-of-way or street-cut permit if excavation reaches the alley, sidewalk, or street.
- Income-qualified Aurora owners should review housing rehabilitation eligibility before paying for a broken sewer line project.
Not seeing your city or county?
We list a city only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Colorado, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Colorado's population center, for comparison only):
- Town of Saratoga Public Works, Wyoming · about 179 miles
- Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Wyoming · about 246 miles
- City of Mills Public Works, Wyoming · about 254 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Colorado State Plumbing Board
Website →Phone: (303) 894-7800 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Colorado page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the sewer line: homeowner or city?
- What is a sewer lateral (and where does yours end)?
- Sewer line repair and replacement costs
- Sewer scope inspections before you buy
Sewer lateral responsibility check →