Sanitary Sewer Connection for New Construction
An independent, licensed plumbing contractor. Not affiliated with Denver Water or the City and County of Denver.
On a new build, the sewer connection is a schedule item, not just a trade item. Denver Sewer and Water is a private contractor. The authority permits and inspects the connection. We sequence and build it around your construction schedule.
- Sequenced with the build schedule.
- Coordination with water and dry utilities.
- Inspection windows planned in advance.
- Grade verified before foundation work.
- Private contractor, not the city.
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What the Connection Involves on a New Build
The sanitary connection on new construction covers the tap at the public main, the service line to the building, the required cleanouts, and the stub the plumbing contractor ties into.
The single most important item happens before construction: verifying that there is workable fall from the planned building elevation to the main. Discovering a grade problem after the foundation is poured is expensive to solve.
The second is sequencing. Trenching for sewer competes with water, gas, electric, and site access, and the authority's inspection window has to line up with the trench being open.
(720) 935-6221What Has to Be Settled Early
- Main depth, location, and available fall to the building pad.
- Approved connection type at the main.
- Route conflicts with water, gas, electric, and communications.
- Cleanout locations required by the authority.
- Inspection timing relative to backfill and site work.
- Whether the street cut requires separate right of way approval.

How We Diagnose It
Who Authorizes the Tap and Who Performs the Tap
Denver Sewer and Water is a private, family owned and operated contractor. We are not Denver Water or the City and County of Denver. We do not issue permits, set fees, own the mains, or approve service. The utility or municipality with jurisdiction does all of that.
The wastewater authority issues the tap permit, approves the connection detail, and inspects the work. The building department handles plumbing permits and inspections on the building side.
Denver Sewer and Water performs the underground work and coordinates the inspection sequence with your general contractor's schedule.
The authority authorizes. The licensed contractor performs. Below is the split for this type of work.
Authority Side and Contractor Side
- Authority: Issues the tap permit and approves the connection detail.
- Authority: Inspects the connection and the service before backfill.
- Authority: Accepts the service into the public system.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Verifies main depth and available grade before the pad is set.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Coordinates the underground sequence with other trades.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Taps the main and installs the service and cleanouts.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Holds the trench for inspection and backfills to compaction requirements.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Provides as-built information for the project record.
How the Connection Fits the Build Schedule
- 1
Pre-Construction Grade Check
We confirm fall from the proposed building elevation to the main before the foundation is committed.
- 2
Permit and Utility Coordination
Tap permits and right of way approvals are secured while other utility applications are moving.
- 3
Underground Phase
The tap and service go in during the underground window, coordinated so trenches are not opened twice.
- 4
Inspection and Backfill
The authority inspects the open work, then we backfill to compaction requirements so site work can continue.

Work With a Contractor Who Handles the Paperwork Side Too
New Construction Fees
Authority side commonly includes tap or connection fees, capacity charges, permit fees, inspection fees, and right of way fees where a street cut is involved.
Contractor side is driven by depth, service length, soil and groundwater conditions, traffic control, and restoration.
We do not publish fee amounts. Tap fees, plant investment fees, permit fees, and inspection fees are set by the authority with jurisdiction and change on their schedule, not ours. We confirm the current figures in writing with that authority for your address before work is scheduled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Tap Services and Municipal Process Pages
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The cheapest time to solve a sewer connection problem is before the foundation exists.

