STOP 14Anoka County
Plumbing services in Columbia Heights, MN.
AP Plumbing serves Columbia Heights from our shop in Coon Rapids, about 11 miles south. Columbia Heights is different from the rest of our route: it buys softer Minneapolis river water, 72% of its homes were built before 1980, homeowners own the whole water service out to the main, and sellers must have the sewer line televised.
- Built before 1980
- 72 %
- Water hardness
- 4.5 gpg
- From our shop
- 11 mi
01By the numbers
Columbia Heights, by the numbers.
The facts that shape plumbing in Columbia Heights, each with its source. Tap a source to check it yourself.
Water source
Minneapolis water from the Mississippi RiverColumbia Heights has no wells of its own; Minneapolis treats the water.
Hardness
About 4.5 grains per gallonSoft for the north metro, where most city water runs 13 to 24 grains.
Homes
Median year built: 196372% of Columbia Heights’ 9,321 homes were built before 1980.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year (B25034/B25035)
Water line
Yours, all the way to the mainOwners are responsible for the entire water service, including the corporation stop and curb stop.
Source: City of Columbia Heights, Emergency Water or Sewer Service
Sewer line
Yours, from the building to the main
Source: City of Columbia Heights, Emergency Water or Sewer Service
Service lines
1 lead · 285 galvanized to replace · 367 unknown6,017 inventoried as non-lead (Oct. 2025).
Selling a home
Sewer line televised before saleThe Time of Sale program (Ordinance 1695, effective May 22, 2024) requires it.
Frozen services
The owner thaws themFreeze risk lasts into March or April, and the city discourages thawing with electric welders.
Source: City of Columbia Heights, Emergency Water or Sewer Service
Checked October 2026. Cities update their rules and reports; your permit office has the final word.
02What it means
What those numbers mean inside a Columbia Heights house.
YARDTime of sale
Selling? Televise the sewer
Sellers need the sewer line televised before closing. A camera inspection gets you the footage and shows whether repairs are needed before the buyer’s side finds them.
Camera inspectionsWALL285 + 367
Galvanized is still common
The city lists 285 galvanized service lines needing replacement and 367 of unknown material. With most homes built before 1980, galvanized pipe inside the house is common too.
Pipe repair & repipingB14.5 gpg
You may not need a softener
At about 4.5 grains, Columbia Heights water is under the 7-grain level where the Minnesota Department of Health says softening may be needed. Most of our route can’t say that.
Water softenersWALLOwner to main
The whole water line is yours
From the house to the main, including the curb stop, a leak or a frozen line is the owner’s repair.
Leak detectionCALLNot sure?
Describe it on the phone
Not sure which of these it is? Call and tell us what you’re seeing and where in the house it is.
Call (612) 245-7341
03Services in Columbia Heights
Every service we do, floor by floor.
The same crew and the same work in Columbia Heights as in Coon Rapids. Pick the part of the house where the problem is.
2FUpstairs
WALLInside the walls
1FMain floor
B1Utility room
YARDUnder the lawn
04Reviews
5.0 stars across 513 Google reviews. Two of them:
-
Mar 2025
“Dennis is very good at communicating his findings and offering solutions. He and his team were extremely friendly and efficient with getting my main sewer line fixed. They had everything done in one day.”
Shannon S. · Google review
-
Mar 2026
“He replaced my shower pipes and my seized water main shut off valve. After completion, he showed me his work to make sure everything is working, looking great, and nothing is leaking.”
Mingmo L. · Google review
05Questions
Plumbing in Columbia Heights, answered.
Short answers from the city’s own rules and reports. Still not sure? Call and describe it.
QIs the water in Columbia Heights hard?
Not by north-metro standards. Columbia Heights buys treated Mississippi River water from Minneapolis, at about 4.5 grains per gallon (around 80 mg/L) of hardness. The Minnesota Department of Health says softening may be needed above 7 grains.
Source: City of Columbia Heights, About Our Water
QDo I need a sewer inspection to sell my house in Columbia Heights?
Yes. Under the city’s Time of Sale program, created by Ordinance 1695 and effective May 22, 2024, sellers must have the sewer line televised before the sale.
Source: City of Columbia Heights, Time of Sale Program
QWho owns the water line in Columbia Heights?
The property owner is responsible for the entire water service, from the house to the main, including the corporation stop and the curb stop. The owner also maintains the sewer line from the building to the main.
Source: City of Columbia Heights, Emergency Water or Sewer Service
QDoes Columbia Heights have lead service lines?
As of October 2025, the city’s inventory listed 1 lead service line, 285 galvanized lines requiring replacement, 367 of unknown material and 6,017 non-lead lines.
Source: Columbia Heights 2025 Drinking Water Report
06Next stops
Next stops on the line.
- Coon Rapids
- Anoka
- Champlin
- Ramsey
- Andover
- Ham Lake
- Blaine
- Lexington
- Lino Lakes
- Spring Lake Park
- Mounds View
- Shoreview
- New Brighton
- Fridley
We also take calls from across the Twin Cities. See the full service area.
07Call us
Plumbing problem in Columbia Heights? Call us.
(612) 245‑7341Mon – Sat · 8 AM – 10 PM
- Hours
- Monday – Saturday, 8 AM – 10 PM · Sunday closed
- Address
- 12433 Uplander St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448
- Serving
- Coon Rapids and 14 north‑metro cities · see the map