Will upsizing fix low pressure?

Only if the constraint is service capacity. Low static pressure from the main is a different problem and a larger line does not solve it.

Do I need a new meter?

Usually yes. A larger service generally requires a larger meter and a setting sized to it, supplied and owned by the utility.

Does the old line have to be removed?

It typically must be abandoned at the main to the authority's standard, which is not the same as simply cutting it at the house.

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.

Water Service Line Upsizing

An independent, licensed plumbing contractor. Not affiliated with Denver Water or the City and County of Denver.

Upsizing replaces an undersized water service with a larger one, usually with a new tap at the main. Denver Sewer and Water is a private contractor. The utility approves the new size and charges the difference in fees. We do the work.

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Larger service for added demand.
Usually requires a new tap.
Fee difference is charged by the utility.
Common with additions and remodels.
Private contractor, not the utility.

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Family Owned and Operated, Not the City Utility

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Second-Generation Specialists

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What Upsizing Involves

Upsizing means increasing the diameter of the water service between the main and the building so it can deliver more flow. It is a demand problem, not a pressure problem, and the two are often confused.

In most cases the existing tap cannot simply be enlarged. Upsizing usually means a new, larger tap at the main, a new service line, and a new meter setting sized to match.

The size required comes from a fixture count or a demand calculation, not from a guess. The authority reviews and approves the requested size.

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Signs a Service May Be Undersized

Pressure drops noticeably when multiple fixtures run.
An addition, ADU, or added bathrooms increased fixture count.
A new irrigation system competes with domestic use.
Fire suppression is being added to the building.
A change of use raised the demand calculation for the property.

Excavator digging a deep shored trench for a storm drain and fire line at a Denver commercial site — Commercial scale excavation for storm drains, fire lines, and taps.

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 water utility reviews the demand calculation, approves the new service size, charges the fee difference associated with the larger tap, and inspects the work.

Denver Sewer and Water handles the new tap, the new service line, the meter setting, and the abandonment of the old service at the main where required.

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

Are You Denver Water? No. Here Is the Difference.

Authority Side and Contractor Side

Authority: Approves the new service size against the demand calculation.
Authority: Charges the fees associated with the larger tap.
Authority: Inspects the new tap, service, and meter setting.
Denver Sewer and Water: Reviews existing service size and confirms what the new demand requires.
Denver Sewer and Water: Taps the main at the approved larger size.
Denver Sewer and Water: Installs the new service line and meter setting.
Denver Sewer and Water: Abandons the old service at the main to the required standard.
Denver Sewer and Water: Restores the surface and closes out the inspection.

How an Upsizing Project Runs

1
Verify the Real Constraint
We check whether the limitation is service size, a partially closed valve, corrosion, or interior piping, because upsizing only solves one of those.
2
Size and Apply
The demand calculation supports the requested size and the application goes to the authority for approval.
3
Tap and Install
The new tap, service line, and meter setting go in, and the old service is properly abandoned.
4
Inspect and Restore
Work is inspected, service is transferred, and the site is restored.

Contractor reviewing utility permit plans on a work truck tailgate with locate marks on the pavement — Locates, permits, and the right authority get handled before the first cut.

Work With a Contractor Who Handles the Paperwork Side Too

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Upsizing Costs

Authority side charges usually reflect the difference between the fees for the existing service size and the larger one. Those figures come from the utility.

Contractor side is driven by service length, depth, surface type between the main and the building, and the new meter setting.

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 guides

Water Line Replacement Cost in Denver: What Changes the Price?

Not Sure If You Need a Larger Service?

We check the actual constraint first, then size the work to the demand.

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