Drinking water programs

Save money and water with the City’s High Volume User (HVU) Program. The HVU Program offers rebates to property owners for installing eligible water efficient toilets, urinals, spray valves and commercial dishwashers and washing machines.

What are the benefits?

Inefficient use of water increases utility costs and places undue stress on the environment. These negative outcomes can often be avoided by retrofitting inefficient fixtures with devices which use less water while providing equal or superior performance. The HVU program aims to offset the costs when retrofitting water fixtures by providing rebates. Find out how these Ottawa organizations benefitted from the High Volume User Program:

• Ottawa Community Housing Bank Street location cut $78,000 from its annual water bill
• Osgoode Properties sees return on investment eight months after installing water efficient toilets
• Ramphos Holdings Inc. saves money with water efficient toilets and washing machines

Are you eligible?

The business or facility must be built before 1996, located in the City of Ottawa and be either:

An industrial, commercial or institutional property consuming a minimum of  25,000 m³ of water per year

or

A multi-residential property with six or more units.

Ready to apply?

1. Complete the Screening and Application form [ PDF - 196 KB].
2. Before removing old fixtures and appliances, take photos of what is being replaced.
3. Send completed form and photos for review to:

WaterWise Coordinator
City of Ottawa 
951 Clyde Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1Z 5A6

Once your application has been approved, you will receive more information about next steps.

Frequently asked questions

Which toilet should I purchase?

Review the maximum performance (MaP) testing information to ensure the toilets you are considering meet the HVUP criteria. Toilet selection will be reviewed by the City as part of the screening form review and approval process.

What dollar rebate values are available?

Qualifying applications may receive:

• Toilets: $50 rebate for single-flush and dual flush high-efficiency toilets
• Urinals: $60 rebate for 3.8L or less; $75 rebate for waterless urinals
• Spray valves: 50% of the pre-tax price, to a maximum of $200
• Commercial dishwashers and washing machines: 25% of the pre-tax price, to a maximum of $1,000

The total maximum rebate is $10,000 per tax roll number.

Is there a deadline for completing the work?

After a project is approved, applicants must complete the work within 18 months.

Questions?

Contact the City of Ottawa at 3-1-1 or send an e-mail to: waterwise@ottawa.ca.

High Volume User success stories

Find out how local property owners have benefitted from the High Volume User Program.

Ottawa Community Housing

In 2011, the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) installed 144 water-efficient toilets at a facility located on Bank Street.

Water conserved:	~20,000 m3 of water/year
Rebate received:	$7,200 rebate
Return on investment:	1 year
Annual savings:	~$78,000

Osgoode Properties

In 2011, Osgoode Properties installed 122 water-efficient toilets in their building.

Water conserved:	~14,000 m3 of water/year
Rebate received:	$6,100 rebate
Return on investment:	8 months
Annual savings:	~$54,000

Ramphos Holdings Inc.

From 2011-2012, Ramphos Holdings Inc. installed 18 water-efficient toilets and 2 water-efficient washing machines.

Water conserved:	~400 m3 of water/year
Rebate received:	$1,643 rebate
Return on investment:	Five years
Annual savings:	~$1,500

The City of Ottawa’s Water Services completes preventative water main maintenance to ensure the continued efficient delivery of safe drinking water to your community.

What is cathodic protection?

Cathodic protection is a process that involves attaching a series of magnesium rods (or "anodes") to the outside of a metallic water main or water service to provide corrosion protection to the water main.

 

Why are we doing it?

With age, metal pipes corrode and eventually break. Cathodic protection helps prevent this process by transferring the corrosion from the outside of the water main to a “sacrificial” anode.

Why was my street selected?

The City analyzed the frequency and severity of water main breaks in Ottawa over a five year period. From this analysis, locations were identified and prioritized. 

How is it done?

Work crews drill a series of 30 cm (1 foot) diameter holes on City property and insert magnesium (sacrificial) anodes beneath the ground. The anodes are connected together by a wire which is attached to your water service.

Will cathodic protection be added to all water mains?

No. Cathodic protection is for metallic pipes. Today, most water mains are made from PVC.

How will this work impact residents?

• There will be noise associated with the work.
• The installation process takes minutes and holes are refilled the same day.
• Traffic and pedestrian impacts are minimal.
• Work is done on the outside of the pipe, so water quality and pressure are not affected.

When will the work take place?

The work starts in May and finishes in early-August. Work takes place between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Questions or concerns

For more information, please contact the City’s Water Information Line by phone at 613-580-2424, extension 22300 or by email at info-water@ottawa.ca.

2021 work schedule

Ward	Street	From	To
1	Vineyard Dr	Voyageur Dr	Jeanne d'Arc Blvd
1	Gadwell Crt	Kingfisher Cres	Kingfisher Cres
6	Harry Douglas Dr.	Eileen Cres	Iber Rd
6	Beechfern Dr	Wintergreen Dr	Dead End
6	Brae Cres.	Stittsville Main St	Stittsville Main St
6	Brigade Ave.	Cherry Dr	Sunnyside Dr
6	Buttonwood Tr.	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Caribou Ave.	Carleton Cathcart St	Orville St
6	Carleton Cathcart St.	Stittsville Main St	Caribou Ave
6	Castlefield Ave	Beechfern Dr	Oakfern Cres
6	Cherry Dr.	Fernbank Rd	Sunray Cres
6	Dowdall Cres.	Woodwind Cres	Woodwind Cres
6	Eagle Rock Way	Springbrook Dr	Trailway Cir
6	Fernbank Rd.	Edenwylde Dr	Etta St
6	Hampel Cres.	Wintergreen Dr	Wintergreen Dr
6	Havenwood Trl.	Trailway Cir	Moss Hill Trl
6	Henry Goulburn Way	Cypress Garden	Brae Cres
6	Hesse Cres.	Beechfern Dr	Beechfern Dr
6	Iber Rd.	Hazeldean Rd	Abbott St
6	James Lewis Ave.	Hartsmere Dr	Baywood Dr
6	John Sidney Cres.	Liard St	LiardSt
6	Joseph Cir	Johnwoods St	Johnwoods St
6	Liard St.	Stittsville Main St	Fernbank Rd
6	Lone Meadow Trl	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Morningsun Cres.	Liard St	Sunray Cres
6	Moss Hill Trail	Trailway Cir	Abbott St
6	Oakfern Cres.	Carbery Dr	Beechfern Dr
6	Pine Bluff Trl.	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Pinecone Trl.	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Poole Creek Cres.	Fringewood Dr	Fringewood Dr
6	Red Oaks Trl.	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Shady Branch Trl	Trailway Cir	Trailway Cir
6	Spindle Way	Cherry Dr	Cherry Dr
6	Springwood Cir.	Trailway Cir	Springwood Cir
6	Sunnyside Dr.	Fernbank Rd	Cherry Dr
6	Sunray Cres.	Liard St	Liard St
6	Sweetnam Dr.	Harry Douglas Dr	Hazeldean Rd
6	Trailway Cir.	Springbrook Dr	Trailway Cir
6	Valerie St.	Alon St	Dead End
6	White Cedar St.	Norway Spruce St	Dead End
6	Willow Gardens Cres.	Brae Cres	Brae Cres
6	Abbott St West	Stittsville Main St	West Ridge Dr
6	Belton Ave	Lanigan Cres	Hobin St
6	Beverly St	Delamere Dr	Stittsville Main St
6	Birdstone Ave	Beverly St	Hobin St
6	Ember Glow Crt	Beverly St	Dead End
6	Forest Heights Ave	Stitt St	Manchester St
6	Hobin St.	Stittsville Main St	Carp Rd
6	Jonathan Pack St.	Abbott St W	Beverly St
6	Lazy Nol Crt	Fringewood Dr	Lazy Nol Crt
6	Pullman Ave.	Beverly St	Hobin St
6	Stitt St.	Abbott St W	Forest Heights Ave
6	Stittsville Main St	Etta St	Hazeldean Rd
11	Rothwell Dr	Whippoorwill Dr	Cedar Rd
11	Wick Cres	Rothwell Dr	Rothwell Dr
11	Donovan Crt	Clovelly Rd	Dead End
11	Oriole Dr.	Rebecca Cres	Delong Dr
23	Belleview Dr	Vanstone Dr	Pickford Dr
23	Black Rivers Pl	Bridle Park Dr	Dead-End
23	Bramblewood Cres	Stonemeadow Dr	Stonemeadow Dr
23	Bridle Park Dr	Bridgestone Dr	Stonemeadow Dr
23	Bylot Crt	Bernier Terr	Dead-End
23	Cadence Gate	Eagleson Rd	Equestrian Dr
23	Chimo Dr	Katimavik Rd	Katimavik Rd
23	Fessenden Way	Jarlan Terr	McCurdy Dr
23	Marcasite Rd	West Dead-End	Belleview Dr
23	McClure Cres	Chimo Dr	Chimo Dr
23	Millman Crt	Pickford Dr	Dead-End
23	Parsons Ridge Rd	Young Rd	McCurdy Dr
23	Peterson Pl	Robarts Cres	Dead-End
23	Pineview Rd	Vanstone Dr	Belleview Dr
23	Redfox Pl	Equestrian Dr	Dead-End
23	Shannondoe Cres	Stonemeadow Dr	Stonemeadow Dr
23	Vanstone Dr	Marcasite Rd	Kakulu Rd