Commercial Plumbing in Sun City, AZ

What to expect when you call

Tell us what kind of property it is, such as a recreation center, clubhouse, condominium building or office, along with what's wrong and whether it's affecting residents or members right now. You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who serves Sun City. Expect questions about access, the shutoff location and any hours the facility has to stay open. The plumber diagnoses the problem, explains the options and pricing, and starts once you agree.

What affects the cost

• The size of the building and the number of units or fixtures on the line
• Time spent finding the problem with a camera or leak detection equipment
• Scheduling around activities, residents or members
• Backflow repairs and the required retest
• County permit steps for the work involved
• Patching walls, ceilings, slab or landscaping

Sun City water, sewer and permits

Del E. Webb opened Sun City in 1960, and today it's a large retirement community with eight golf courses, seven recreation centers and the Sun Bowl Amphitheatre. Those shared facilities, plus condos, clinics and retail, account for most of the commercial plumbing here. EPCOR serves nearly 24,000 water connections in Sun City and Youngtown from one groundwater system, disinfected with chlorine, with hardness of 7 to 11 grains per gallon. EPCOR also provides wastewater service and runs a sewer main and manhole inspection program in the Sun Cities.

EPCOR's Cross Connection Control Department makes the customer responsible for installing, maintaining and testing backflow assemblies. Assemblies must be tested every year, plus at installation and after repair or relocation, by a certified tester, with reports submitted within 30 days. They generally must sit within 36 inches of the water meter. EPCOR's cross-connection line is 480-450-2077, and customer care is 1-800-383-0834. EPCOR keeps a service line material inventory online and says it removes any lead pipes it identifies.

As an unincorporated community, Sun City relies on Maricopa County Planning and Development for permits. Like-for-like plumbing repair permits are issued online, and new gas lines for items such as pool or spa heaters use a non-technical permit. For a gas smell, clear the building first, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.

Before the plumber arrives

• Locate the main shutoff and the backflow assembly near the meter
• Find the most recent backflow test report
• Let residents or members know about any planned water shutoff
• Clear access to mechanical rooms, water heaters and cleanouts