# Tap Excavation in Denver

Tap excavation in Denver opens the ground for sewer, water, and fire line connections to the public main. Denver Sewer and Water pulls the permits, locates the utilities, shores the pit, makes the inspected connection, and restores the surface.

- Sewer, water, and fire line tap excavation.
- Permit and utility coordination.
- Deep pit shoring and traffic control.
- Main locating and verified exposure.
- Surface restoration to jurisdiction spec.

## When Does a Property Need Tap Excavation?

Tap excavation is needed for any new connection to the public sewer, water, or fire main. That includes new construction, service upsizing, a dedicated fire line, or replacing a failed tap at the main.

The work is deeper than most line repairs and sits in the right-of-way, so it carries its own permit, shoring, and inspection sequence. We manage that rather than handing it to the owner.

- New construction with no existing service connection.
- Upsizing a service that no longer meets building demand.
- A fire line required by the sprinkler design.
- A failed, corroded, or damaged tap at the main.
- Permanent abandonment of a retired service.

## Who Issues the Tap Permit?

It depends on the line and the jurisdiction. Denver Water owns the water main. The city handles sanitary sewer review. Aurora and Lakewood run their own utilities. Anything in the street needs a separate right-of-way permit.

We file the right applications for the address rather than giving the owner a list of offices to visit.

## How Tap Excavation Runs

1. **Sizing and Scope** We confirm the service size, identify the main, and determine how deep the connection sits.
2. **Application and Permits** We apply to the authority that owns the main and pull the right-of-way permit if the work is in the street.
3. **Locate and Verify** Every utility in the work zone is located and verified before excavation begins.
4. **Excavate and Shore** The pit is opened to the main and shored to depth. Main taps are often the deepest part of any service job.
5. **Make the Connection** The tap is made to the jurisdiction's specification and inspected before anything is covered.
6. **Backfill and Restore** Compaction and surface restoration are done to the spec for what was cut, whether concrete, asphalt, or landscape.

## What Drives Tap Excavation Cost?

Tap excavation cost is driven by depth, soil, shoring, traffic control, and the surface being restored. The utility's own tap fee is separate and scales with meter or service size.

We quote the excavation, permitting, and restoration portion after confirming the main depth and the right-of-way requirements.

- Depth of the main and the shoring required.
- Whether the tap sits in the street, alley, or private property.
- Traffic control on narrow or busy corridors.
- Surface type and restoration specification.
- Utility crossings and congestion in the work zone.

## 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.

**How deep is a typical tap excavation?**

It varies by main depth and jurisdiction. In Denver, water and sewer mains can run eight to twelve feet or deeper. We verify depth before quoting so there are no surprises once the pit opens.

**Do you restore the street or sidewalk after a tap?**

Yes. Right-of-way work has to be restored to the city's specification, including compaction in lifts and matching the original surface material.

## Related Excavation Services

- [Excavation in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/excavation/denver-co) The full excavation lane: sewer, water, storm, septic, and tap work.
- [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.
- [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/tap-excavation/denver-co