# Sewer Line Tap Connection Work in Denver

A sewer line tap connection is the specific point where a service line joins the sanitary main, made as a saddle, a cored connection with a boot, a wye fitting, or a manhole connection depending on the main. Denver Sewer and Water makes this connection to the wastewater authority's approved detail on every project.

- Saddle, cored, wye, and manhole connection methods.
- Connection type matched to the specific main.
- Thrust restraint and joint sealing to standard.
- Grade set correctly at the point of connection.
- Inspection held before the connection is buried.

## What Determines the Right Connection Method?

Main material drives most of the decision. A saddle connection works well on some pipe materials and is prohibited on others by the authority. A cored connection with a rubber boot is common on concrete and clay mains where a clean hole can be cut and sealed. A wye fitting installed during original construction is the cleanest option when one is already present and can be uncovered and used. Manhole connections come into play when the main is too shallow or too deteriorated for a direct tap on the pipe barrel.

Diameter and depth matter just as much. A connection detail approved for a small-diameter residential main is not necessarily approved for a larger commercial main, and the authority's standard drawings specify exactly what is acceptable for each combination.

- Main material: PVC, clay, concrete, or cast iron all have different approved methods.
- Main diameter and depth.
- Whether an existing wye or stub is present and usable.
- Condition of the main at the proposed connection point.
- The authority's current standard connection detail.

## How a Tap Connection Is Made

1. **Locate the main and verify main size and material** The exact pipe material and diameter at the proposed connection point are confirmed before selecting a method.
2. **Coordinate with the wastewater authority having jurisdiction** The approved connection method for that main is confirmed against the authority's current standard.
3. **Potholing and utility locates** The main is exposed carefully at the connection point and other utilities in the area are located.
4. **Make the tap using the approved method** Saddle, core and boot, wye, or manhole connection is installed to the approved detail.
5. **Thrust restraint and joint sealing** The connection is restrained and sealed to prevent movement and leakage at the joint.
6. **Inspection sign-off before backfill** The authority inspects the open connection before it is covered.

## What Drives Tap Connection Cost

The connection method itself, driven by main material and condition, is the main cost variable, along with depth and how much of the main has to be exposed to make the connection safely. A cored connection into a deteriorated main sometimes requires more careful excavation than a straightforward saddle onto sound pipe.

Tap and inspection fees are set by the wastewater authority with jurisdiction, not by us, and we confirm current figures with that authority before scheduling rather than publishing amounts here.

Call (720) 935-6221 to get the main assessed before the connection method is chosen.

## Frequently asked questions

**Who decides which connection method is used?**

The wastewater authority that owns the main specifies which connection methods it approves for that pipe material and diameter. We select from what is approved, we do not choose a method independently.

**Can an existing wye fitting be reused?**

If it is present, sound, and in the right location, yes. If it has deteriorated or the layout has changed, a new connection is made using the authority's currently approved method.

**What is a cored connection?**

A cored connection cuts a precise hole into the main and seals a rubber boot fitting into it, commonly used on concrete and clay mains where a clean, sealed opening can be made.

**Does the connection get inspected before it's covered?**

Yes. The authority inspects the open connection to confirm it meets the approved detail before backfill, and we hold the trench open until that inspection happens.

**Does Denver Water perform the sewer tap connection itself?**

No. Denver Sewer and Water is a private, family owned and operated company. We are not Denver Water or the City and County of Denver. The utility or municipality with jurisdiction owns the main, sets fees, and inspects the work. We are the licensed contractor who performs the physical tap.

## Related Sewer Tap Services

- [Sewer Line Tap Installation and Replacement](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-line-tap-installation-replacement/denver-co) New sewer taps and replacement of a failed tap connection at the main.
- [Sewer Line Tap Repair](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-line-tap-services/sewer-line-tap-repair/denver-co) Repairing a failed, leaking, or root-damaged tap connection.
- [Sewer Line Tap Services](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-lines/sewer-line-tap-services/denver-co) Sewer line taps to the public main, installed and repaired.
- [Sewer Line Locating and Troubleshooting](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-lines/sewer-line-locating-troubleshooting/denver-co) Finding the line and the failure point before anyone digs.
- [Sewer Lines in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/sewer-lines/denver-co) The full sewer line lane: repair, replacement, trenchless, and inspection.

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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/sewer-line-tap-services/sewer-line-tap-connection/denver-co