# Sewer and Water Line Services in Northglenn, Colorado Northglenn was built almost entirely in a single postwar wave, with most of the city's homes going up between the late 1950s and the early 1970s as one of the first master-planned suburbs north of Denver. That uniform construction era means a predictable and specific set of underground materials: Orangeburg sewer pipe used widely in tract housing of that period, cast iron laterals in some sections, and galvanized steel water services almost everywhere the original plumbing has not been touched. Orangeburg is the material that drives the most calls in Northglenn. It was a cheap, tar-impregnated fiber pipe used heavily in postwar subdivisions, and it does not crack the way clay does. It deforms, flattens, and eventually collapses into an oval that chokes flow long before a homeowner sees standing water. A slow drain in a Northglenn home built in the 1960s is worth investigating for Orangeburg before anything else. Galvanized water service is the parallel problem on the supply side. Corrosion builds up on the inside of the pipe over decades until the effective diameter shrinks and pressure drops throughout the house, and because it happens gradually most homeowners do not realize a full service line replacement is the underlying fix rather than a fixture problem. ## Permits and Authority in Northglenn Water and sanitary sewer service in Northglenn generally runs through city utilities for addresses inside city limits, though some properties near the edges of town may fall under a separate water and sanitation district. We confirm the correct authority for an address before submitting any permit. Right-of-way excavation on city streets requires a City of Northglenn permit and restoration to city standard, and older residential streets built in the original postwar subdivisions have their own pavement and utility depth quirks that we account for in scheduling. - Water and sewer authority is generally the City of Northglenn for in-city addresses, but should be confirmed for edge parcels. - Right-of-way cuts require a city excavation permit and restoration to city standard. - Older postwar subdivision streets can have shallower utility depths than modern standards. ## Tap and permit notes - Sanitary sewer connections require inspection before backfill on any tap or repair that touches the main connection. - Water service replacements on original 1960s tract homes are usually a full-length replacement rather than a partial patch, since the whole run is typically the same failing galvanized material. - Orangeburg lateral replacements are usually recommended in full rather than as a spot repair, because the surrounding pipe is generally in the same deteriorated condition. ## Typical pipe era - Late 1950s through early 1970s tract housing: Orangeburg and cast iron sewer laterals, galvanized steel water services. - Scattered 1970s and 1980s infill: cast iron and early copper. - Newer infill and remodeled properties: PVC sewer and copper or PEX supply where previously replaced. ## Common failure modes - Orangeburg laterals collapsing into an oval shape and restricting flow. - Galvanized water service corrosion causing gradual, whole-house pressure loss. - Cast iron corrosion at joints in mid-century sections. - Root intrusion at cast iron joints along mature parkway trees. - Partial prior repairs that leave old Orangeburg connected to a newer PVC section, creating a failure point at the transition. ## Areas served - Original Northglenn tract neighborhoods - North Washington - Areas along Huron Street - Northglenn Marketplace area - Croke Reservoir neighborhoods ## Response time Northglenn is a longer drive from our southwest Denver yard, so we schedule this area rather than treat it as a quick same-day stop, and we tell callers that upfront. ## Frequently asked questions **Are you the same company as Northglenn's water utility?** No. Denver Sewer and Water is a private, family owned contractor and is not the City of Northglenn or Denver Water. We work on the portion of the water and sewer line that belongs to the property, and we handle city permitting when it applies. **Why do so many Northglenn homes have Orangeburg sewer pipe?** Northglenn was built almost entirely in the late 1950s through early 1970s, and Orangeburg was a common, inexpensive sewer pipe used in tract housing of that era across the country. It was never intended to last as long as clay or cast iron, and most of what remains today is well past a reasonable service life. **My water pressure has dropped slowly over the years. Is that normal for a Northglenn house?** In a home with original galvanized service, gradual pressure loss is a common pattern as corrosion narrows the inside of the pipe. We test at the meter and at the fixtures to confirm the service line is the cause before recommending replacement. **Can Orangeburg pipe be lined instead of replaced?** Usually not reliably. Orangeburg has typically already deformed by the time it is causing symptoms, and lining a pipe that has lost its round shape does not solve the underlying problem. We generally recommend replacement once Orangeburg is confirmed on camera. **Do you handle both the sewer and water side on the same Northglenn property?** Yes. Many original Northglenn homes need attention to both the Orangeburg lateral and the galvanized water service around the same time, since both were installed in the same era and are reaching the end of their service life together. ## Nearby service areas - [Thornton](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/locations/thornton-co) - [Westminster](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/locations/westminster-co) - [Commerce City](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/locations/commerce-city-co) - [Brighton](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/locations/brighton-co) --- 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/locations/northglenn-co