Water Services

The Municipality of Kincardine is responsible for treating and distributing safe drinking water to residents along with the care of water pipes and assets on municipal property.

Homeowners and property owners are responsible for the water pipes, assets, sewer, and stormwater pipes  on their private property.

The water department's hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with closures on statutory holidays. An operator is on-call for after hours emergencies. 

Current Rates & Fees for Water
(Schedule M)

See our webpage for Utility Billing to set-up, disconnect, or for payment information. Don't forget to visit Digging/Locates before putting a shovel in the ground, too!

Water Meters

The water meter in your home or business is owned by the Municipality. We use the remote on the exterior of your home to read your meter. 

Please, keep the area around your remote clear of anything that may block access to it. If you need your remote moved, or your home or building is being demolished, please call our Environmental Services department at 519-396-4660. 

Failure to provide access or unauthorized removal of your meter may result in penalty fees.

Water Meter By-Law 2016-030

Why might my water bill be high?

With the recent installation of new water meters in Tiverton, we've received an increased number of inquiries about utility billing. These Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) may help to provide an answer:

  • Review your utility bills from previous months, including the reading cycle and how many days of consumption were billed on each invoice.
  • If your water meter was recently replaced, the sequence on the invoice may have changed, leading to a higher consumption billing on one utility bill than on the other.
  • Check if the readings on your utility bill were actual readings or estimated readings. Circumstances that may restrict access to your property (like an aggressive dog, snow, or home renovations) may result in your utility bill showing an estimated charge for consumption or a zero read until we're able to get a reading. Confirm if your bill was estimated, and then an actual read was collected resulting in additional charges.

Toilets

The main reason for high water consumption is a toilet leak, which can be difficult to find. Normal causes can be:

  • a faulty flapper valve seal
  • a bad ballcock valve
  • an improperly positioned float arm
  • or defective overflow tube

It's important to fix this issue as soon as possible, as it can waste a lot of cubic meters of water over a billing cycle.

Check your toilet by using the dye test: place a few drops of food colouring in the tank at the back of your toilet. Do not flush. Wait and observe for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If colour seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak.

Digital Displays

Review the digital display on your water meter before leaving your house for the day. If you are positive no water is being used, check it as soon as you get home to see if the numbers have moved. If they have, you likely have a leak. 

The following day, get the reading again. Then, isolate one of your toilets by shutting it off using the valve at the base of the toilet. Verify the readings when you return and work through this process on all toilets to determine if that could be a source of a leak. The goal is to ensure the meter doesn't move when you are positive you're not using water.

Water Softeners

Customers with water softeners have higher water bills due to the regeneration or backwash cycles their systems are set to go through on a regular basis. Check how often your softener is set to perform this cycle. These units can sometimes revert back to a factory setting after a power flicker. A plumber or softener manufacturer should be able to provide you with recommendations.

If you believe your softener could be a problem, contact the Municipality of Kincardine's environmental services at 519-396-4660 and we may be able to assist you. Our staff will be able to review your account and look for a pattern that shows up in our system that reads continuous flow. These often show up in our software every 5 to 8 days as a pattern.

Check to make sure your outdoor taps are shut off. A garden hose can discharge about 3 to 4 cubic meters per hour. Are your taps properly winterized or has it split your hose and caused a leak? A pinhole leak 1/8 of an inch in a garden hose at 60 psi can discharge 12 to 15 cubic meters of water per day.

  • Have you had an increase in the number of people living in your home? If so, your consumption billing may be higher than previous periods.
  • Typically, meter consumption is higher in the summer months. Watering of lawns, gardens, vegetables, cleaning vehicles, etc. all lead to higher usage. Consider whether you have recently completed a landscaping project that required additional watering.
  • Did you fill a pool or hot tub? These can also increase meter readings.

If you receive a bill that you feel is too high, check over the common causes listed above to help you pinpoint the source of the high invoice.

Our utility billing program detects high water usage and lets us know if there are continuous or intermittent water leaks in the billing cycle. You may need to contact a plumber or other professional help to determine the source of a leak. 

Property owners are responsible for all private service water lines from the public water main to the residence and for leaks inside the home.

 

If you have questions about your bill and the charges, please contact us at 519-396-3468 ext. 7143. If you have questions about a water leak or technical matter, please contact our water division at 519-396-4660.

Bulk Water Station

140 Valentine Ave. Kincardine, ON. 

2" camlock is required. There is a male connection on the north side of the building.

An account is required to access the Bulk Water Fill Station, even for 1-time use. Allow 1 business day for account set-up.

How to create an account:

  • Call the Environmental Services department at 519-396-4660 
  • Be prepared with the information for the account, which will include: company name, billing address, contact name, number and email
  • Once your account is created, we will provide you with a 4-digit PIN

Cost:

  • There is a one time account set-up fee of $71.17.
  • Metered rate is $3.88/m3
  • A monthly processing fee of $39.03 when used

 

Water on or off request

You can request to have your water supply turned on or off using the main shut off at the property line. Reasons you may request this service are:

  • Seasonal services
  • Internal leak - for an internal leak, please call a plumber, and for an outside leak, please all our water department
  • Demolition or fire damage to a dwelling

Only municipal staff should be operating the main valve outside and there's no charge for this service during regular business hours.

To book an appointment to have your water turned on or off, please call 519-396-4660 or e-mail us.

Frequently asked water questions

We provide both water and sewer services to customers in:

  • Kincardine, including the pipeline to Inverhuron
  • Tiverton
  • Armow
  • Scotts Point
  • Underwood
  • Huronville
  • Bruce Energy Centre (BEC) Business Park

For more information on our services, you can review Water Reports and Plans.

How to check for Water Leaks

  • Check your Water Meter: Turn off all indoor & outdoor faucets and observe the meter. If there is any movement of flow while not using any water may indicate the presence of a water leak. Call a plumber to investigate.
  • Dye Test on your Toilet: Toilets are a common cause of leaks. To check, place food colouring or test dye tablets (available at home improvement stores), in the tank at the back of your toilet. Do not flush. Wait 10-15 minutes. If you see colour seeping into your toilet bowl, you have a leak. Call a plumber to investigate.

How to Conserve Water

  • Replace leaking faucets.
  • Look for high efficiency appliances such as low-flow or dual-flush toilets.
  • Turn water off while brushing teeth or shaving. 
  • Take shorter showers.
  • Install low-flow showerheads.
  • Use cold water laundry detergent. 
  • Wash full loads of laundry or set the water level according to the load.
  • Run your dishwasher when completely full. 
  • Use rain barrels that collect rainwater and reuse for gardening purposes. 
  • Apply mulch around plants, shrubs, and trees to keep them moist.
  • Install an efficient irrigation system or set sprinklers to low. 
  • Follow the Outdoor Water Use By-Law 2009-079
  • When washing your vehicle, use a bucket with a sponge and/or brush. 

Yellow or brown water is caused by iron in the pipes. Run your COLD water tap to flush the system until the colour clears. If no change occurs, please call us at 519-396-4660.

If your hot water is brown or rusty, check your hot water tank and call a plumber.

Bubbles or cloudiness is just air. This can be cause by temperature change and you'll find that the bubbles should settle and go away. If they don't give us a call at 519-396-4660.

Our lawn watering by-law is in effect from May 15th to September 30th each year. 

Even numbered houses may water on even numbered calendar days, while odd numbered houses may water on odd numbered calendar days. In both cases they may do so during these hours:

  • 6 to 9 a.m.
  • 6 to 9 p.m.

You may apply for an exemption to the outdoor water use by-law by e-mailing us.

We have test for lead and did not find high levels.

Use your garden hose to fill your pool or hot tub. There is no bulk water station available in the municipality. Make sure you check the water usage by-law before doing so.

Please contact us at 519-396-4660 or e-mail us.

Your first step is to contact the building department at 519-396-3468 ext. 7124 or going visiting our Building Permits webpage to begin the permitting process.

Next, you'll need to contact the water department at 519-396-4660 to arrange for a final reading and removal of your water meter. After this, a utility billing exemption may be applied for.

Our staff follow a sampling schedule regulated by the Ministry of the Environment. For questions related to sampling or to view sampling results please call the water treatment plant at 519-396-4660.

We do not provide testing services for private wells. Please contact the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit for these services.

All fire hydrants located within the Municipality of Kincardine are for municipal use only and may only be operated by trained Municipality of Kincardine Volunteer Firefighters and/or Environmental Services personnel. 

Water Hydrant Use By-Law 2007-135

Expansion of the Kincardine Water System

The Municipality of Kincardine has retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. to complete a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify options for expansion of the Kincardine Water system and Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at 155 Durham Street.

At the conclusion of the project, an Environmental Study Report will be prepared. The document will be made available for a 30 day public review period in accordance with the requirements of a Schedule ‘C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.

Please contact a member of the project team to ask any questions about the PIC materials, provide comments, or to be added to the project study list.

Adam Weishar, C.E.T.
Director of Infrastructure and Development Municipality of Kincardine
1475 Concession 5, RR 5
Kincardine ON, N2Z 2X6
Phone: 519-396-3468 ext. 7121

David Kielstra, MA, EP, MCIP, RPP Environmental Planner
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
200-835 Paramount Drive
Stoney Creek ON, L8J 0B4
Phone: 905-381-3247

Expansion of the Tiverton Water Supply System

The Municipality of Kincardine has retained B.M. Ross and Associates  to complete a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process to investigate increasing the supply capacity of the drinking water system within the community of Tiverton. The current system services 372 connections from groundwater wells. The 2022 Water and Wastewater Servicing Master Plan Update identified the need for additional water supply capacity to accommodate future development within the community. The MCEA will investigate options to increase water supply, such as additional groundwater wells and connecting to the Kincardine Drinking Water System.

At the conclusion of the project, an Environmental Screening Report will be prepared. The document will be made available for a 30 day public review period in accordance with the requirements of a Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.

Please contact a member of the project team to ask any questions about the PIC materials, provide comments, or to be added to the project study list.

Adam Weishar, C.E.T.
Director of Infrastructure and Development Municipality of Kincardine
1475 Concession 5, RR 5
Kincardine ON, N2Z 2X6
Phone: 519-396-3468 ext. 7121

Lisa Courtney, Environmental Planner
B.M. Ross and Associates
Phone: 888-524-2641

Scott's Point Municipal Well Replacement

The Municipality of Kincardine initiated a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) study in November 2021 to identify and evaluate options for the replacement of the Scott’s Point municipal well.

Recent inspections of the existing well indicate the casing is in poor condition. Given the age and condition of the existing well, a new well at a new municipal well site is being considered.

The study process followed the procedures set out in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document, dated June 2000, as amended in 2007, 2011 and 2015 (Municipal Engineers Association, 2000). B. M. Ross and Associates Limited (BMROSS) was engaged to conduct the MCEA investigation on behalf of the Municipality.

Read the Environmental Screening Report

Contact Us

The Municipality of Kincardine
1475 Concession 5, R.R.
#5, Kincardine, ON N2Z 2X6
Phone: 519-396-3468
F.: 519-396-8288

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