# Fire Line Taps Alongside Sewer and Water Line Work

A fire line tap sometimes has to happen in the same trench or under the same right-of-way permit as a sewer or water line project already underway. Denver Sewer and Water coordinates that overlap so the fire authority's requirements do not get discovered halfway through someone else's dig. This page is specifically about that coordination, not a general fire tap overview.

- Fire line taps coordinated with sewer or water excavation on the same site.
- Shared right-of-way permit handled across multiple tap types.
- Fire authority sign-off sequenced with utility inspections.
- Separation distance from sewer and water lines maintained in a shared trench.
- Site restoration handled once, for all three utilities.

## When Does a Fire Tap Come Up During Sewer or Water Work?

Commercial redevelopment, a change of use that adds fire suppression, or new construction on a site that already needs a sewer or water tap are the common situations where a fire line tap has to be planned into an existing utility project instead of standing alone. The excavation may already be scheduled, the right-of-way permit may already be in process, and the fire line requirement shows up after that planning has started.

The risk in that sequence is treating the fire tap as an add-on to a sewer or water dig rather than its own approval path. The fire authority having jurisdiction reviews the suppression system design and the tap size independently of whatever the water or wastewater utility has already approved, and that review can change the trench layout, the vault requirements, or the schedule if it is not brought in early.

- New commercial construction needing sewer, water, and fire taps together.
- A change of use adding fire suppression during a planned sewer or water project.
- Site redevelopment where all three utilities are being replaced.
- A fire line discovered undersized during unrelated sewer or water excavation.
- Properties adding a private hydrant during other underground work.

## How Fire Tap Work Fits Into a Sewer or Water Project

1. **Confirm the fire authority's requirements early** The fire authority having jurisdiction reviews suppression design and tap size, and that review is brought in before the shared trench layout is finalized.
2. **Coordinate with the water or wastewater authority already involved** The utility approving the sewer or water tap and the fire authority do not automatically talk to each other, so both sets of requirements are confirmed against the same trench plan.
3. **Right-of-way and traffic control permitting** One combined right-of-way permit is pursued where the authority allows it, covering all utility work in the shared trench.
4. **Potholing and utility locates across the shared path** All buried utilities along the combined trench are located before excavation, including the required separation between fire, water, and sewer lines.
5. **Tap, set the assembly, and maintain separation** Each tap is made to its own approved detail, with the fire service's valve, vault, and backflow assembly built to the fire authority's specification.
6. **Sequence inspections and restore once** Each authority inspects its own tap on its own schedule, and the site is backfilled and restored only after all applicable sign-offs are in.

## What Drives Cost When a Fire Tap Shares a Project

Sharing a trench with sewer or water work reduces total excavation and restoration cost compared to three separate digs, but each utility's tap, vault, and assembly requirements are priced on their own scope. Fire lines are typically larger diameter and need a dedicated vault for the backflow assembly, which adds to the shared trench's footprint.

Tap fees for the water or sewer connection are set by that utility, and fire authority plan review and acceptance fees are set separately by the fire authority having jurisdiction. Neither is set or collected by us, and figures are confirmed with each authority before scheduling.

Call (720) 935-6221 to get all three scopes reviewed together before excavation starts.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can a fire line tap use the same trench as a sewer or water tap?**

Often yes, provided the required separation distance between the fire line and the other services is maintained and every involved authority approves the shared trench. We confirm that before combining the dig.

**Does the fire authority need to be involved if I already have a sewer or water permit?**

Yes. The fire authority having jurisdiction reviews the fire tap and suppression design independently of whatever water or wastewater permit is already in place. It is a separate approval, not an extension of the other one.

**How is this different from your standalone fire line tap page?**

This page addresses fire line taps specifically when they need to be coordinated with a sewer or water project on the same site. Our full fire line tap service, covering fire taps on their own, is on the fire line tap services hub.

**What happens if the fire authority's requirements change the trench plan?**

We adjust the layout before excavation, not after. That is the reason the fire authority's review is brought in during planning rather than discovered once the trench for the other utilities is already open.

**Does a fire tap need its own backflow assembly even in a shared trench?**

Yes. Fire services almost always require their own approved backflow assembly regardless of what water or sewer work is happening alongside them, and that assembly needs its own vault or enclosure space.

**Is fire line tap coordination handled by the fire department or Denver Water?**

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 Fire, Sewer, and Water Tap Services

- [Fire Line Tap Services](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/fire-line-tap-services/denver-co) Dedicated fire service taps, backflow, and hydrant installation.
- [Fire Line Tap Connection](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/fire-line-tap-services/fire-line-tap-connection/denver-co) New fire line connections to municipal mains with code-compliant installation.
- [Backflow Prevention](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/fire-line-tap-services/backflow-prevention/denver-co) Backflow assembly installation and testing for fire and domestic services.
- [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.
- [Water Line Tap Services](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/water-lines/water-line-tap-services/denver-co) Water line taps to the public main, installed and repaired.
- [Fire Lines in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/fire-lines/denver-co) Fire line repair, replacement, and hydrant work.

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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-lines/fire-line-tap-services