The returned check fee is assessed when a customer’s check is returned by a financial institution citing insufficient funds for the payment of water service.

Fee per check: $20

The turn-on or turn-off service fee is assessed to a customer when they have requested to start or end water service. The fee will not be assessed when the turn-on/off occurs for repairs.

The delinquent/noncompliance turn-off fee is assessed to customers who fail to pay their water or sewer bill or maintain a water service connection that is not currently in compliance with Denver Water Operating Rules. The turn-on fee applies when the service is turned back on. A sewer turn-off applies when an outside-city (outside the city and county of Denver limits) sewer entity requests a customer's water and sewer service be turned off because non-payment of a sewer bill.

The transfer of title fee is assessed when a premise is changing ownership. The account is reviewed for non-compliance issues, cancelling auto-payment if applicable, collections, or soil amendment inspection. Denver Water conducts a final meter reading on the day of closing.

Fee per check: $70

The reactivation fee is assessed when a tap has remained inactive for more than five years, and the customer has been notified of cancellation and desires to keep the service connection active. Denver Water will inspect the service connection to verify there are no further compliance issues.

The scheduled appointment fee is assessed to customers who schedule a specific time for Denver Water to provide meter or inspection-related services at their property.

Fee per check: $70

The unauthorized hydrant use penalty is assessed when hydrant water has been used illegally. Denver Water issues permits for use in the total service districts and read–and-bill districts. Hydrants can be used for construction, dust control, cleaning, special events or other specifically approved uses. Permits may be issued for a specified hydrant for a limited period of time, or they may be issued annually for unlimited use of hydrants.

For more information, see Operating Rules, Chapter 3.

The unauthorized use penalty is assessed when water has been used illegally. This includes:

• Use of water prior to setting or activating the meter;
• Meter tampering of any kind;
• Illegally diverting water or;
• Tampering with or using a meter that has been locked.

Unauthorized use may result in suspension of service.

Fee per check: $500

For more information, see Operating Rules, Chapter 2.

The tap stub-in fee is assessed when processing new stub-in requests and renewing the second-year tap license. A tap stub-in is a tap 2 inches or smaller that connects to a main and allows a portion of the service line to be installed. The fee is assessed prior to setting the meter and activating the license for a particular premise.

The tap stub-in monitoring fee is assessed annually for the ongoing expense of monitoring stub-in taps and covers the annual inspection of the tap to ensure the hardware (slug and lock) are intact.

Fee per tap: $70

For more information, see Operating Rules, Chapter 2.

The temporary tap deposit fee is assessed when a customer requests a connection to a Denver Water main for construction use for a specified time period. The deposit will be refunded when a customer cuts the tap on or before a specified date. A tap not cut by the specified date results in forfeiture of the deposit. If the tap is expected to become a permanent connection, the deposit will be refunded when the system development charge for the development is assessed.

The tap installation fee is assessed when Denver Water installs a new tap on a main. A minimum charge of four hours is assessed for service requests outside of normal business hours. Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday plus an hourly rate for each hour over the minimum. Outside normal business hours includes weekends and holidays. Holidays include:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents Day
• César Chávez Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

For more information, see:

• Operating Rules, Chapter 2
• Engineering Standards, Chapter 2

The new meter fee is assessed when a customer purchases a new meter from Denver Water. The size and placement specifications require Denver Water approval through a plan review.

For more information, see:

• Operating Rules, Chapter 3
• Engineering Standards, Chapter 10

The meter testing fee is assessed when a customer requests a meter to be tested because of possible inaccurate readings. If the meter tests within the American Water Works Association (AWWA) specifications, the customer is billed according to the chart below. If the meter test is not in compliance with AWWA specifications, the fee is waived. 

For more information, see Operating Rules, Chapter 10.

The meter inspection fee is assessed when Denver Water inspects a newly installed meter to ensure compliance with Denver Water’s Operating Rules and Engineering Standards. The meter re-inspection fee is assessed when Denver Water revisits a meter that has previously failed the original meter inspection.

For more information, see:

• Operating Rules, Chapter 3
• Engineering Standards, Chapter 10

The meter pit and stop box non-compliance fees are assessed to customers when Denver Water customer service field must repair a non-compliant meter pit or stop box that is prohibiting their ability to conduct regular system maintenance. Normally, correcting non-compliance meter pits and stop boxes is the responsibility of the owner. A stop box is a valve box, service box, or curb box that is set over the property line valve or curb stop on a water service.

Fee per hour: $70

For more information, see:

• Operating Rules, Chapter 3
• Engineering Standards, Chapter 6
• MS-25

The water quality service fees are assessed to customers when Denver Water performs the following services:

• Pressure washing of newly installed or contaminated distribution water mains or conduits
• Disinfection of newly installed or contaminated distribution water mains, conduits, and storage reservoirs
• De-chlorination of neutralized highly chlorinated water before discharging into the environment
• Camera inspection of newly installed distribution water mains, conduits, or similar potable water ways
• Water quality surveys for distribution systems testing a wide variety of a solutions to resolve water quality problems

Denver Water issues permits for the city and county of Denver, Total Service and Read and Bill districts. Hydrants can be used for construction, dust control, cleaning, or other specifically approved uses. The hydrant meter water fee is assessed to customers permitted to have metered access to hydrant water. Hydrant water is billed monthly on a 1,000 gallon basis and the customer is required to submit metered usage on a monthly basis. The fee applies to all hydrant usage in and outside the city and county of Denver and is equal to the residential fourth block for total service districts.

Fee per 1,000 gallons: $12.16

Denver Water issues permits for the city and county of Denver, total service and read and bill districts. Hydrants can be used for construction, dust control, cleaning, or other specifically approved uses. 

The hydrant read penalty is assessed when a hydrant customer fails to report monthly meter readings.

Fee per hydrant account: $50

The hydrant testing fee is assessed when a customer requests Denver Water measure the pressure and flow in a specific area of the water distribution system for fire sprinkler design.

Fee per hydrant test: $225

The unauthorized hydrant use penalty is assessed when hydrant water has been used illegally. Denver Water issues permits for use in the total service districts and read–and-bill districts. Hydrants can be used for construction, dust control, cleaning, special events or other specifically approved uses. Permits may be issued for a specified hydrant for a limited period of time, or they may be issued annually for unlimited use of hydrants.

For more information, see Operating Rules, Chapter 3.

The plan review fee is assessed to customers planning construction related to main extensions for new development, fire hydrants, fire sprinklers, domestic connections and water line relocations or modifications. The fee is due at the time of formal submittal.

Each additional plan resubmittal starting with the third resubmittal will be assessed the original fee. The approval of plans and specifications expire after one year of inactivity. Resubmittals of inactive plans require the payment of plan review fees.

For more information, see:

• Engineering Standards
• CAD Drawing Standards

External Driven Special Projects

This process covers external driven projects that impact conduits.

The irrigation plan review fee is assessed to customers applying for new taps that will irrigate one acre or larger. For more information on the submittal process, see irrigation plan review. Denver Water will require a separate water plan submittal for taps 3 inches and greater.

For more information, see:

• Operating Rules, Chapter 14
• Operating Rules, Chapter 2

The distribution inspection fee is assessed to developers when Denver Water staff inspects their distribution main and connection to Denver Water’s system.

For more information, see:

• Engineering Standards
• Operating Rules, Chapter 8

The distribution inspection overtime fee is assessed to customers when Denver Water staff inspects their distribution main and connection to Denver Water’s system outside of normal business hours. Normal business hours are dependent on the inspector preforming the services schedule, which will be given prior to actual inspection.

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents Day
• César Chávez Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

For more information, see:

• Engineering Standards
• Operating Rules, Chapter 8

This fee is assessed to customers who need to access Denver Water property. Don’t forget to complete support files and forms. The license is generally requested on Denver Water’s property or easements to grant a third party (in addition to original developer) access. Permanent easements are assessed the fee plus the appraised value of the easement. For more information on the submittal process see plan review.

For more information, see Engineering Standards, Chapter 4.

The CAD (or parcel) drawing preparation fee is assessed to a customer who requests Denver Water staff to prepare parcel drawings from a survey stamped written legal description.

Fee: $400 per sheet

For more information see:

• CAD Standards External Requirements
• Engineering Standards, Chapter 4

This fee is when Denver Water staff performs document preparation during plan review approval, and the original document or parcel map must be changed at the request of the grantor requiring the document preparation to be completed again. For more information on the submittal process visit plan review.

For more information, see Engineering Standards, Chapter 4.

The release of easement fee is assessed to requestors who request Denver Water release an existing easement. Don’t forget to complete support files and the forms. This fee covers administrative costs plus an appraised value when applicable.

For more information, see Engineering Standards, Chapter 4.

This fee is assessed to customers who request access and use of Denver Water property. Don’t forget to complete necessary support files and forms. This fee will be assessed to customers who are requesting a permanent easement, a property occupancy license, an easement agreement amendment, an easement release, and a Letter of Authorization (personal or professional).

For more information, see Engineering Standards, Chapter 4.

The paper/digitized records standard page fee is assessed to customers requesting one side of a printed page, up to 11 inches by 17 inches, of Denver Water public records. A postage fee applies for mailed documents.

For more information see:

• Colorado Open Records Act, §24-72-205
• Operating Rules, Chapter 18

The digitized photographic imaging fee is assessed for digitizing a photographic image from a print or negative. Photographic paper prints from a photographic negative are completed from an outside vendor. Fees for that service are billed at actual cost. A postage fee applies for mailed documents.

For more information see:

• Colorado Open Records Act, §24-72-205
• Operating Rules, Chapter 18

The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requires local governmental entities to make public records available for inspection in accordance with CRS §24-72-201, et seq. The act mandates access to many types of records, but it also provides exemptions on the basis of confidentiality, privilege and security. Research charges for certain CORA requests may apply when researching files for requested information, manipulation of data to generate a record in a form not used by Denver Water, or redaction of documents containing confidential information. The first hour of research is provided at no charge.

For more information see:

• Colorado Open Records Act, §24-72-205
• Operating Rules, Chapter 18