Commercial Plumbing in Sun City West, AZ

Warning signs at a Sun City West facility

• An EPCOR backflow test reminder or a failed test result
• Locker room or restroom drains slowing at a recreation center
• Clubhouse kitchen drains backing up after events
• Water heaters at a pool or fitness building falling short
• Pooling water near the meter or backflow assembly
• Toilets and urinals running after use

How water, sewer and permits work here

Del Webb built Sun City West on about 11,000 acres west of Sun City and finished it in 1997. Seven golf courses and the recreation centers are community-managed, and those facilities, along with condos, medical offices and shops near Grand Avenue and Loop 303, make up most of the commercial plumbing work.

EPCOR, a private regulated utility, serves about 15,600 water connections here with groundwater from the West Salt River Valley sub-basin, disinfected with chlorine. EPCOR's report lists hardness from 3 to 11 grains per gallon, so scale is a smaller issue than in much of the Valley, though busy commercial heaters still collect sediment. EPCOR also maintains the sewer mains and manholes in the Sun Cities. Its line at 1-800-383-0834 takes emergencies and outages at any hour. EPCOR keeps a service line material inventory online, and lead was not detected in the system's most recent sampling reported in its water quality report.

EPCOR's Cross Connection Control Department puts installation, maintenance and testing of backflow assemblies on the customer. Each assembly must be tested yearly and also at installation and after a repair or relocation, by a certified backflow tester, with reports due within 30 days. Assemblies generally go within 36 inches of the meter. Reach the department at 480-450-2077. Maricopa County Planning and Development handles permits; like-for-like plumbing repair permits are web-issued. For a gas smell, get everyone out, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.

What changes the cost

• How large the facility is and how many fixtures share the line
• Diagnosis with a drain camera or leak detection equipment
• Scheduling around classes, events or residents
• Backflow repair parts and the follow-up test
• County permit requirements
• Restoring tile, drywall or landscaping after access

What happens when you call

Give the type of facility, what's wrong and whether residents or members are affected. You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who serves Sun City West. Ask how the work will be scheduled and priced before it starts.