Denver restaurant says it will lose thousands of dollars due to lead pipe removal project

Denver Water is in the process of replacing lead pipes they say could contaminate water. The lead reduction project began in 2020, and the water provider says it's more than 60% complete.

That includes both residential homes and businesses. It's a move that's beneficial for everyone's health, but one business says construction could cost them thousands of dollars.

The Monkey Barrel, located in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood, opens at 11 a.m., serving up food and drinks seven days a week.

"We should have a say in when we have to open our business and close our business," said owner Jimmy Nigg.

But this upcoming Monday they'll likely be closed.

"They made the decision that any business that needs to have their lines replaced is going to have to shut down for the day," Nigg explained.

Denver Water has hired a contractor to replace lead pipes in the area. However, Nigg says in order to do that, he was told he must close down for an entire day.

"It could be anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 in lost revenue, and it's also revenue or also hours that my employees are going to lose."

He says the cost doesn't stop there. He's required to hire a company to remove an ice bin that will cost an additional $500.

"The ice bins are connected to all the soda guns, so it's a very complicated piece of equipment. You can't just move it out of the way."

And the work is scheduled to take place first thing Monday morning. 

"We received a letter from Denver Water informing us that if we didn't comply with the contractor and that we didn't approve the work, that they were going to shut our water off completely."

CBS Colorado reached out to Denver Water about the issue earlier this week. They said they "understand that construction is impactful and we work with businesses and other customers as much as possible to minimize inconvenience. In this case, we have been working with this customer to identify potential accommodations and help with their concerns as best we can, and we will continue to do so …"

However, Nigg says he spoke with them afterward and nothing changed. 

"It's still not being handled properly," he said.

In fact, he says it's gotten worse. Any damage to the walls or floor tiles from construction will be on him to fix, leaving The Monkey Barrel in a situation he believes isn't fair. 

"We're at the mercy of Denver Water right now."