# Storm Drain Excavation in Denver

Storm drain excavation in Denver corrects private drainage lines, catch basins, and downspout connections that are broken, clogged, or poorly pitched. Denver Sewer and Water opens the trench, repairs the line, and restores the surface so water drains away from the structure.

- Storm drain line repair and replacement.
- Catch basin and inlet excavation.
- Downspout and foundation drain tie-ins.
- Grade correction for standing water.
- Compaction and surface restoration.

## When Does a Storm Drain Need Excavation?

Storm drain excavation is needed when water is not moving away from the property the way it should. That can mean a broken line, a catch basin that has settled, a downspout tie-in that has separated, or a line that was installed without proper fall.

Jetting and cleaning can clear a clog, but they cannot fix a collapsed pipe or a belly. If the problem keeps coming back after cleaning, the line usually needs to be exposed and repaired.

- Standing water that does not drain within a day of rain.
- Erosion or washout along the line path.
- A settled or cracked catch basin.
- Downspout water backing up at the foundation.
- A storm line that clogs repeatedly after cleaning.

## Is It a Clog or a Structural Failure?

A single clog after a heavy storm is usually debris. A line that clogs every season, holds water between storms, or shows settlement in the basin is more likely a structural problem that excavation will solve.

We scope private storm lines with a camera when access allows, and we excavate targeted sections to confirm what jetting cannot show.

## How an Excavation Job Runs

1. **Camera and Locate** We scope the line, grade it, and mark depth and defect locations. Utility locates are requested and verified on site before any equipment moves.
2. **Permits and Traffic Control** Sanitary review, right-of-way permits, and a traffic control plan where the street requires one. We carry these rather than handing them to the owner.
3. **Site Protection** Access route planned, surfaces protected, spoils staged, and tree protection observed where the canopy or root zone is regulated.
4. **Careful Exposure** Around known crossings we vacuum excavate rather than dig blind. Paint on grass is an approximation, not a guarantee.
5. **Excavate, Shore, and Repair** The trench is opened and shored to depth, the pipe is replaced or the connection is made, and the work is inspected before it is covered.
6. **Backfill and Restoration** Compacted in lifts to the spec for the surface above, then the surface is restored to what was cut, including concrete, asphalt, and landscape.

## What Drives Excavation Cost?

We will not put a number on this page, because excavation pricing is driven by conditions we have to see first. Depth is the single largest driver, followed by what is above the pipe and what has to be put back.

The honest version is that a shallow lateral in an open back yard and a deep connection under a concrete street are the same pipe and very different projects. We quote after the scope and the locate, not before.

- Depth of the line and the shoring the trench requires.
- Soil conditions, groundwater, and rock.
- Surface being cut: turf, asphalt, concrete drive, or city street.
- Right-of-way permitting and traffic control requirements.
- Length of the run and the number of crossings in the way.

## 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.

**Will excavation fix standing water in my yard?**

It can, if the standing water is caused by a broken or poorly pitched private drain line. We diagnose the cause first, then excavate and correct the line or basin that is not draining.

**Do you handle storm drains under driveways and patios?**

Yes. We cut and restore concrete, asphalt, and pavers to reach the line, then put the surface back to the condition we found it in.

## Related Excavation Services

- [Excavation in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/excavation/denver-co) The full excavation lane: sewer, water, storm, septic, and tap work.
- [Storm Drains](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/storm-drains/denver-co) Storm drain repair and installation on private property.
- [Open Cut Excavation](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/open-cut-excavation) When trenching is the right method and how we sequence it.
- [Hydro Excavation](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/hydro-excavation) Vacuum excavation for safe exposure around live utilities.
- [Line Locating and Marking](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/line-locating-and-marking) Finding the line and verifying depth before anything opens.

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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/storm-drain-excavation/denver-co