# Tap Process in Lakewood

Lakewood does not operate a single citywide water and sewer utility. Properties are served by a patchwork of water districts and sanitation districts, so the tap process depends on your exact address. Denver Sewer and Water is a private contractor, not any of those districts.

- Multiple districts, not one city utility.
- Water and sanitation can be different districts.
- Requirements vary block to block.
- City handles right of way separately.
- Private contractor, not a district.

## Why Lakewood Requires Address Level Verification

Lakewood is served by a number of independent water districts and sanitation districts rather than one municipal utility. Which district serves a property depends on where that property sits, and the boundaries are not intuitive.

It is common for one district to provide water and a different district to provide sanitary sewer to the same property. That means two sets of standards, two applications, and two inspections.

The city itself typically governs work in public streets and the building side permits, adding a third body to coordinate with.

- Which water district serves the address.
- Which sanitation district serves the address.
- Whether the water and sewer authorities are the same body or different bodies.
- Each district's current construction standard and approved details.
- City right of way requirements for the street involved.
- Contractor registration requirements for each district.

## 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 serving districts authorize the connections, set the fees, and inspect the work. The city governs the right of way and building side permits. Denver Sewer and Water is a contractor working under those authorizations and does not represent any district.

The authority authorizes. The licensed contractor performs. Below is the split for this type of work.

- Authority: Water district approves the water tap and sets its fees.
- Authority: Sanitation district approves the sewer connection and sets its fees.
- Authority: City issues right of way and building side permits.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Identifies every authority with jurisdiction over the address.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Meets each authority's separate standard on the same project.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Submits the contractor side of each application.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Performs the excavation, connection, and restoration.
- Denver Sewer and Water: Attends each required inspection.

## General Sequence for a Lakewood Tap

1. **Map the Jurisdiction** We determine the serving water district, the serving sanitation district, and the right of way authority for the address.
2. **Collect Each Standard** Districts do not share standards. Each approved detail is pulled separately.
3. **Apply and Coordinate** Applications go to each body and the schedule is built around whichever inspection is most constrained.
4. **Construct and Close Out** Work is built to each applicable standard, inspected, and restored.

## Lakewood Fees in General Terms

Each district publishes its own fee schedule, so two Lakewood properties a few blocks apart can face different charges for the same scope. Amounts come from the district with jurisdiction.

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

**Who is my water provider in Lakewood?**

It depends on the address. Several independent districts serve different parts of the city. Verification is the first step on every project.

**Can water and sewer be different authorities?**

Yes, and in Lakewood it is common. That means two standards and two inspections on one project.

**Does the city set the tap fee?**

Generally no. Tap and capacity fees come from the serving district. The city handles right of way and building side permits.

**Are you 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. We are the licensed contractor who performs the physical work after the authority with jurisdiction issues the permit.

**Can you tell me my tap fee amount over the phone?**

We can tell you which fees apply to your project type and who charges them. The dollar amounts come from the authority with jurisdiction, and we confirm them for your specific address rather than quoting from memory.

## Related Tap Services and Municipal Process Pages

- [Tap Permit Process in Denver](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/tap-permit-process-denver) How a tap moves from application to authorized construction in Denver.
- [Tap Process in Aurora](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/tap-process-aurora) Aurora runs its own water and sewer utility, so the process differs from Denver.
- [Denver Water Tap Installation](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/denver-water-tap-installation) Who authorizes a water tap, who physically makes the connection, and how the two fit together.
- [Sewer Tap Installation](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/sewer-tap-installation) Connecting a property to a sanitary sewer main, from permit through inspection.
- [Water Service Line Upsizing](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/water-service-line-upsizing) Increasing service size for added fixtures, fire service, or a remodel.
- [Storm Drain Connection](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/taps/storm-drain-connection) Connecting site drainage to a public storm system and why it is a separate approval.

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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/taps/tap-process-lakewood