Shared responsibility for Water and Sewer Service lines
The City and homeowners share ownership of and responsibility for the repair and maintenance of water and sewer service lines.
The City owns and maintains the water service line from the watermain to the water shut-off valve. Property owners are responsible for the service line from water shut-off valve to the home.
Similarly, for sanitary and storm sewer service lines, the City owns and maintains the service from the sewer main to the property line. Property owners are responsible for the portion from the property line to their home.
Homeowner responsibilities include the maintenance and repairs of the private portion of these service lines. Home insurance or warranty providers may be available to assist with the cost of repairs.
Assessing the risk of a service line failure
The City cannot provide specific information on the risk of failure of private water or sewer service lines because each property is unique. The lifespan of a service line may be indicated by the age of the home itself, unless rehabilitation work has been completed.
Water service lines
Type of material and location of a water service line will be influenced by when the service was installed or replaced. The Ontario Building Code and the City’s Design Guidelines have changed over time. For example, older homes such as those built prior to 1955 may have a lead water service. Learn more about the City’s Lead Pipe Replacement Program
Sewer service lines
Similarly, the lifespan of a sewer service line may depend on construction material, soil conditions and use. Under the Ontario Building Code, homes built after January 1, 2004 require the installation of a backwater valve on the private storm sewer service. Unique to Ottawa, homes built after January 1, 2012 require the installation of a backwater valve on the private sanitary sewer service. Learn more about basement flooding and the City’s Residential Protective Plumbing Program and Residential Compassionate Grant Program.
Home insurance coverage
Repairs to private water and sewer/septic services lines may not be covered by basic homeowners’ insurance and are a homeowner’s responsibility. Homeowners are encouraged to review their home insurance policy and contact their insurance provider to determine if their policy covers repairs to the exterior water and sewer service lines, whether additional coverage can be added to their existing policy and at what cost, and their responsibilities in the event of a private water or sewer line failure. If their home insurance policy does not cover the repair to water and sewer/septic service lines, homeowners may wish to consider alternatives.