# Emergency Excavation in Denver

Emergency excavation in Denver is for broken lines, sinkholes, and active leaks that cannot wait for a scheduled repair. Denver Sewer and Water responds with the equipment and crews to stop the damage, expose the failure, and make the repair.

- 24/7 response for active line failures.
- Sinkhole, washout, and leak exposure.
- Temporary shoring and traffic control.
- Same-day camera and locate where possible.
- Permanent repair and surface restoration.

## When Is Excavation an Emergency?

Excavation is an emergency when water or sewage is moving through the ground, a sinkhole is opening, pavement is settling, or the failure threatens the building or the street. In those cases the ground has to open quickly so the line can be shut off or repaired.

We respond to emergencies across the Denver metro. The first priority is always safety: stop the flow, shore the excavation, and protect traffic and structures.

- Water bubbling up through pavement or turf under pressure.
- A sinkhole or sudden settlement along the line path.
- Sewage surfacing in a yard, alley, or street.
- A broken line that cannot be isolated without exposing it.
- Pavement or foundation damage from an active leak.

## Can It Wait Until Regular Hours?

Some failures are urgent and some are inconvenient. A slow leak in an irrigation line can usually wait. A water main break under a driveway or a sewer line surfacing in a yard cannot. We will tell you honestly which category you are in.

If the problem can be controlled by shutting a valve or stopping fixture use, we may schedule the excavation for the next business day and save you the after-hours premium.

## How Emergency Excavation Runs

1. **Assess and Stabilize** We evaluate the immediate risk, stop the flow if possible, and set up traffic control and shoring before digging.
2. **Expose the Failure** The line is excavated to locate the break or collapse and confirm the scope of the repair.
3. **Make a Temporary or Permanent Repair** If conditions allow, we complete the permanent repair the same visit. If materials or inspections are needed, we make a safe temporary repair and return.
4. **Backfill and Restore** The trench is backfilled and the surface is restored to prevent further damage or hazards.

## What Drives Emergency Excavation Cost?

Emergency excavation costs more than scheduled work because of the after-hours response, the need for immediate traffic control, and the uncertainty of what is in the ground. We still quote the scope before digging whenever safety allows.

The best way to control cost is to call early, before the leak undermines more pavement or fills more of the property.

- After-hours response and crew mobilization.
- Traffic control and emergency shoring.
- Depth and soil conditions at the failure.
- Surface type and extent of restoration needed.
- Whether the repair can be completed in one visit.

## Frequently asked questions

**Do you locate utilities before excavating?**

Always. Locates are requested and then verified on site. Around known crossings we expose utilities with vacuum excavation rather than digging blind. Paint on grass is an approximation of horizontal position, not a guarantee of depth.

**How much of the property gets torn up?**

It depends on the method the pipe supports. A full open cut replacement needs a trench the length of the run. A trenchless repair needs only access pits. We show the footprint on the site before the work starts.

**Do you restore the surface after excavation?**

Yes, to the specification for what was cut. Concrete is replaced with concrete, asphalt with asphalt, and turf is backfilled and compacted so the trench does not settle into a rut.

**Do you offer true 24/7 emergency excavation?**

Yes. We have crews and equipment on call for active failures that cannot wait. If the situation can be safely controlled until morning, we will tell you that too.

**Will emergency excavation damage my yard?**

Emergency work opens only what is needed to reach the failure. We restore the surface afterward, though the priority in an emergency is stopping the problem safely.

## Related Excavation Services

- [Excavation in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/excavation/denver-co) The full excavation lane: sewer, water, storm, septic, and tap work.
- [Sewer Line Repair](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-lines/sewer-line-repair/denver-co) Targeted repair options for the sanitary lateral.
- [Water Line Service and Repair](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/water-lines/water-line-service-repair/denver-co) Service line repair and replacement for Denver properties.
- [Tap Services](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/tap-services/denver-co) Sewer, water, and fire line tap connections to the public main.
- [Open Cut Excavation](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/open-cut-excavation) When trenching is the right method and how we sequence it.

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Denver Sewer and Water is a privately owned, licensed and insured plumbing contractor. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Denver Water, the municipal water utility, or any government entity. To pay a municipal water bill or reach the public utility, visit denverwater.org.

Source: https://www.denversewerandwater.com/excavation/emergency-excavation/denver-co