Plumbing services in Highlands Ranch
Every service below is available across 80126, 80129 & 80130. Pick the closest match, or call and describe what you have noticed.
Who to call in Highlands Ranch
| Situation | Who handles it | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Any plumbing problem in your home | We connect you with a licensed, insured local plumber (calls answered 24/7) | (720) 731-0399 |
| Water main break, curb stop or sewer main | Highlands Ranch Water (Centennial Water and Sanitation District), on call 24 hours a day | 303-791-2185 |
| Water billing and account questions | Highlands Ranch Water customer service | 303-791-0361 |
| Permits for plumbing work | Douglas County Building Division | 303-660-7497 |
| You smell gas | Leave the building first. Then call 911 and Xcel Energy from outside. | 1-800-895-2999 |
Highlands Ranch Water will help shut off water at the curb stop on your private service line. For a sewer emergency, it asks you to call a plumber first to check your own line before it looks at the main.
When homes here were built
Almost every home here was built after 1980. Between half and two-thirds were built in the 1980s and 1990s, depending on the ZIP code.
Plumbing issues worth knowing about
Hard water: 11 to 13 grains per gallon
About 85% of Highlands Ranch Water comes from the South Platte River, topped up from deep aquifer wells. The utility doesn't remove hardness, and its water usually measures 11 to 13 grains per gallon. That means scale in tank and tankless water heaters and spotting on fixtures. A softener is your choice, not a requirement.
Related guides: Water Softener Installation · Tankless Water Heater Repair · Water Heater Leak Repair
Swelling soils and buried pipe
Highlands Ranch sits in the part of Douglas County the Colorado Geological Survey mapped for swelling soils, and the area saw class-action suits over soil damage from the 1990s on. Ground movement can stress slabs, sewer lines and water service lines. Warm spots on a slab floor, a water meter that moves with every tap off, or a sewer backup that keeps coming back are worth checking.
Related guides: Slab Leak Repair · Sewer Camera Inspections · Main Water Line Replacement
Homes from 1981 to the mid-1990s
Polybutylene supply pipe was installed nationally from 1978 to mid-1995, and a large settlement covered failures in that window. Not every home here has it. It's gray, flexible and often stamped PB. If you see it near the water heater or main shutoff, have it looked at before it leaks.
Related guides: Ceiling Pipe Leak Repair · Copper Pipe Repair
Questions from Highlands Ranch homeowners
Is Highlands Ranch Water the same as the City of Centennial?
No. Highlands Ranch Water is Centennial Water and Sanitation District, which serves Highlands Ranch and Solstice. The City of Centennial is a separate city to the north with different water providers.
My sewer is backing up. Do I call Highlands Ranch Water or a plumber?
A plumber first. Highlands Ranch Water asks residents to have their own service line checked before calling about the main. If the main is the problem, the utility's 24-hour line is 303-791-2185.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Highlands Ranch?
Yes. Colorado requires a licensed plumber, a permit and an inspection for water heater replacement. In Highlands Ranch the permit comes from Douglas County, which treats a straight replacement as work that doesn't need plan review.
Sources
Checked November 2026. Phone numbers belong to the utilities and offices named, not to this site.
- Highlands Ranch Community Association: history ↗
- Highlands Ranch Water: emergencies ↗
- Highlands Ranch Water: contact ↗
- Highlands Ranch Water: water hardness ↗
- Highlands Ranch Water: supply overview ↗
- Colorado Geological Survey OF-02-08: soils of north-central Douglas County ↗
- Douglas County Building Division: replacement permits ↗
- Douglas County: plumbing/mechanical permit application ↗
- Colorado State Plumbing Board: water heater permits and licensing ↗
- Spokesman-Review: polybutylene settlement dates ↗
- CBS Colorado: how to report a gas leak to Xcel Energy ↗
- City of Littleton: Littleton ZIP codes ↗
- City-Data: ZIP 80126 homes by year built (ACS) ↗
- City-Data: ZIP 80129 homes by year built (ACS) ↗
- City-Data: ZIP 80130 homes by year built (ACS) ↗
Plumbing problem in Highlands Ranch?
Call with your street address and a short description. For an active leak or sewer backup, say so first.
Get plumbing help in Highlands Ranch(720) 731-0399Calls answered 24/7