Water Services
The Town of Collingwood is responsible for supplying all of its residents with clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. The Water Services Department values customer service and is proud to serve the residents of Collingwood by maintaining and operating the Town's water systems.
The Town's fresh water comes from Georgian Bay and is brought to your tap through a network comprised of a water treatment plant, an elevated storage tank, a series of reservoirs and booster stations, and pipes.
The Town of Collingwood’s water and wastewater billing is issued by EPCOR EDO Inc. For information regarding payment options or account information please contact EPCOR at 705-445-1800 or visit EPCOR's website.
EPCOR is responsible for the following:
- All payments and billing information for water and wastewater usage
- Creating a new water account or making changes to an existing account
- Final meter readings for closing dates or accounts
- Water certificates
Your water and wastewater are billed on a monthly basis for both residential and commercial accounts. The bill amount combines a supply fee (fixed) and a consumption fee (variable) for both water and wastewater.
The system is self-funded. Water and wastewater rates pay for operations and maintenance to ensure a safe and reliable water supply as well as responsible wastewater treatment. Water and wastewater services are not supported by property taxes.
Landlords, please note: Provincial legislation under Section 398 (2) of the Municipal Act provides that charges for the supply of a public utility may be added to the taxes for the property to which the utility was supplied. This includes water/wastewater arrears of the tenants of an owner's property. The property owner is ultimately responsible for any water/wastewater charges that remain outstanding.
Effective February 1, 2022: If a tenant fails to pay the Water & Wastewater arrears for a period of 90 days or more, the total arrears balance at the date of transfer will be applied to the owner's property tax roll.
As a property owner, you may be held responsible for unpaid water bills incurred by tenant(s) / occupant(s) as provided for under the Town of Collingwood’s Water Supply By-law 2016-066.
What is the schedule for notification of past-due accounts?
30 days after the due date | EPCOR mails a reminder letter to the primary account holder. |
|---|---|
60 days past the due date | Town of Collingwood mails a notice to the primary account holder & property |
90 days past the due date | Town of Collingwood sends a notice to the primary account holder & property |
Property owners can have access to tenant water account balances by having their tenants complete
this form and submitting it to EPCOR. This form permits the property owner to access information about the arrears balance, when the last payment was made, and if there are any payment arrangements in place. If a property owner prefers, they may leave the Water/Wastewater account in their name (i.e., the tenant would continue to receive the Electricity bill from EPCOR and the owner would receive the Water/Wastewater bill). Contact customer service at EPCOR for more details.
If you have questions, please review the FAQs. If you have further questions, please contact the tax department at taxes@collingwood.ca or call 705-445-1030 ext. 3625.
Request for Consideration of Water Shut Off
Property owners may request that the Town consider shutting off the water supply to their property that is occupied by a tenant when both of the following conditions are met:
- The tenant arrears have been added to the property owner's property tax account twice in the past 6 months, AND
- The tenant's water account is still in arrears.
The Town will determine if shutting off the water is the next step in the collection process; if so, the Town will advise the tenant by letter that they have 15 days to pay the arrears in full or the water will be shut off. A notice will be delivered or posted on the tenant's door communicating the same information no less than 48 hours before the planned shut-off.
The water will remain shut off until the water account is paid in full including the charges added for water shut-off services, or a significant payment is made with additional payment arrangements that have been approved by the Town. Once this payment condition is met, the Town requires a minimum of 48 hours to turn the water back on. The property owner or their designate must be at the property in order to have the service turned on.
For tenant accounts that are not paid within two weeks of the water being shut off, the arrears will be added to the property tax account.
To make the above request, property owners must complete this form which includes detailed information regarding the process, and then submit it to the Finance department as instructed on the form.
Water & Wastewater Rates 2022
2022 Monthly Water and Wastewater Rates and Structure | ||
|---|---|---|
All Accounts | Water | Wastewater |
Fixed Charge: $/Month |
|
|
Up to 1 1/4 inch | $18.33 | $35.00 |
1 1/4 inch | $23.16 | $44.33 |
1 1/2 inch | $35.15 | $66.49 |
2 inch | $51.70 | $97.99 |
3 inch | $77.32 | $146.99 |
4 inch | $117.18 | $221.64 |
6 inch | $176.13 | $333.60 |
8 inch | $234.34 | $444.44 |
10 inch | $352.24 | $668.40 |
Consumption Charge: $/m3 | ||
Tier 1: 0 – 8m3 /month | $0.99 | $1.00 |
Tier 2: 8 – 15m3 /month | $1.04 | $1.05 |
Tier 3: 15 – 150m3 /month | $1.14 | $1.15 |
Tier 4: >150 m3 /month | $0.84 | $0.85 |
Water & Wastewater Rates 2023
2023 Monthly Water and Wastewater Rates and Structure | ||
|---|---|---|
All Accounts | Water | Wastewater |
Fixed Charge: $/Month |
|
|
Up to 1 1/4 inch | $18.51 | $35.35 |
1 1/4 inch | $23.39 | $44.77 |
1 1/2 inch | $35.15 | $67.15 |
2 inch | $52.22 | $98.97 |
3 inch | $78.09 | $148.46 |
4 inch | $118.35 | $223.86 |
6 inch | $177.89 | $336.94 |
8 inch | $236.68 | $448.88 |
10 inch | $355.76 | $675.08 |
Consumption Charge: $/m3 | ||
Tier 1: 0 – 8m3 /month | $1.02 | $1.036 |
Tier 2: 8 – 15m3 /month | $1.07 | $1.088 |
Tier 3: 15 – 150m3 /month | $1.17 | $1.191 |
Tier 4: >150 m3 /month | $0.87 | $0.881 |
Are you interested in connecting to the Town of Collingwood’s water infrastructure? Contact Water Services at 705-445-1581 or water@collingwood.ca to see if servicing is available in your area and for a quote.
The bulk water fill station is located at 7400 Poplar Side Road (Bob Davey Reservoir).
Bulk water is billed at a rate of $3.26/m3. To set-up a bulk water account, please contact 705-445-1581 x 3302 or email water@collingwood.ca
Once your bulk water account is set-up, you will be provided with a PIN code. This PIN code will be used to access bulk water at the fill station, as well as for billing purposes.
As temperatures drop in the winter there is a chance that water pipes can freeze. This can be due to environmental conditions, poor heating or insulation of a crawl space where water pipes are located or shallow water services. Taking proactive steps to protect your own plumbing helps to minimize the chances of experiencing frozen water pipes.
Here are some tips to avoid a frozen service:
- If your water pipes are attached to an un-insulated outside wall or are located in a crawlspace, remove the clamp from the pipes, gently pull the pipes away from the wall and wrap them with foam pipe insulation. Consider insulating your crawl space.
- Insulate all exposed outside water pipes with specially-designed foam pipe covers. These are available at building supply or home improvement stores. Be sure to follow installation safety instructions.
- Always ensure that there is an adequate source of heat near vulnerable pipes. Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
- Open kitchen, bathroom and laundry cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. If piping is located next to exterior walls, leave the cupboard doors under your kitchen and bathroom sinks open. Please take care to remove household cleaners and other items that could harm children or pets while the cupboard doors are open.
- If you’re going away, talk to your insurance company about what you can do to protect your home from frozen pipes and leaks while you’re away. Be sure to leave the thermostat set at 15 degrees or higher, and have someone check on your home every other day.
- If the temperature drops to well below freezing, consider leaving a tap open enough for a stream of water to flow so there is some movement in water pipes that might be vulnerable to freezing. NOTE – only those directed to run a tap by the Town of Collingwood will be compensated for increased water use. Customers running taps without direction from the Town will be responsible for all water volume charges.
What To Do If You're Frozen
Property owners are responsible for maintaining and replacing water pipes inside their home or business, and from the home or business to the property line. The Town of Collingwood is responsible for pipes beyond the property line.
If your water service does freeze, immediately notify a licensed plumber. The plumber should be capable of thawing your service to the property line. If required, contact the Town of Collingwood Water Department at 705-445-1581 or water@collingwood.ca for more information and assistance.
Here are some tips for thawing your pipes on your own:
- Never try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch as this is a fire hazard.
- If using a space heater, plug the heater directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire. Do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet as a heater. Keep space heaters three feet away from anything that can burn. Do not leave heaters unattended.
- Know the location of your master water shut-off valve. While the pipe was frozen, expanding ice may have cracked or broken your pipe causing it to leak when thawed. If the pipe is leaking, you will need to shut off the water in your house until the pipe is repaired.
- Always be careful of the potential for electric shock in and around standing water.
- Never use a combustible fueled appliance indoors to produce heat as carbon monoxide poisoning could occur.
- Once you thaw make sure you keep your pipes warm because you will be susceptible to freezing again. Keep the area around the pipes warm by opening basement, cellar or cupboard doors, and/or by insulating the pipe, and take action to prevent freezing in future years. Watch for leaks where the pipe froze because it’s possible that while the pipe was frozen, expanding ice may have cracked or broken your pipe.
Frozen Services Watch
The Town of Collingwood has identified areas in the municipality that are at risk of frozen services when particular conditions are met. When a Watch is issued only those effected will be directly contacted by the Town of Collingwood. If you are not contacted and choose to run a tap, the Town will not credit your water use.
Contact Water Services at 705-445-1581 or water@collingwood.ca
- Notice of Filing Addendum
- Addendum Report
- ESR - Appendix A
- ESR - Appendices B-D
- ESR - Appendices E-G
- ESR - Appendices H-J
- Environmental Study Report (FINAL)
- ESR - Appendix A to C (FINAL)
- ESR - Appendix D and E (FINAL)
- ESR - Appendix F to J (FINAL)
- Learn more about the Water Treatment Expansion Project on Engage Collingwood
Outdoor Water Use
Fresh water is a valuable finite resource, so in 2016 the Town of Collingwood updated its Water Use By-Law to restrict outdoor water usage year-round. The intent of this By-Law requirement is to promote water conservation, but it is particularly important to limit outdoor water use during the summer months to ensure peak water demands in Town can be met with the existing capacity of the Town’s drinking water treatment plant. Reducing outdoor water usage helps ensure water is available for essential purposes and emergencies, such as firefighting.
If you live at an odd-numbered house address, you are limited to outdoor water use on odd-calendar days and if you are an even-numbered house address, you are limited to outdoor water use on even-calendar days.
Residents are encouraged to water their lawns between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
If you have questions please contact the Water Department at water@collingwood.ca
Common Questions
Do I have to wait to water my lawn during the recommended times?
We’d prefer that you did. The Town’s water storage reservoirs are replenished overnight, so the preference is to keep water use lower during that period. This will ensure the water storage reservoirs are filled for the next day. Watering during the cooler times of day also limits the amount of water evaporation and allows for better soil absorption. However, you must stick to the appropriate odd or even-numbered days.
But water levels are high in Georgian Bay. Why must we conserve water?
Whether or not the water levels of the Georgian Bay are high, the Town’s water supply availability is limited by the capacity of the water plant to treat water. This is why the Town is in the process of a Water Treatment Plant Expansion.
What classifies outdoor water use?
Outdoor water use is defined as any activity that requires the use of a hose. This would include lawn watering, power washers, filling pools, sprinklers, etc. Gardens can be watered using a watering can.
Can I water my newly planted sod or seed if water restrictions are in place?
Yes, newly laid sod (less than 28 days) is exempt.
How does the Town of Collingwood enforce outdoor water use restrictions?
The Town’s goal is to encourage compliance with the Water Use-By-Law through education and issuing warnings, but the Town reserves the right to issue fines and penalties.
The Georgian Bay provides the residents of Collingwood with its drinking water. Protecting this natural resource is a team effort and we encourage everyone to do their part. Education is key to understanding the complex challenges of protecting our source water and it involves all of us.
In 2006, The Government of Ontario established The Clean Water Act,that ensures communities are able to protect their drinking water from contamination, overuse and sustainability by developing Source Water Protection Plans.
For more information on the Town of Collingwood’s collaborative Source Water Protection Plan, please visit https://ourwatershed.ca
What Can You Do?
Protecting this natural resource is a team effort and we encourage everyone to do their part. Education is key to understanding the complex challenges of protecting our source water and it involves all of us.
Drains Are Not Dumps
Drains (e.g. sinks and toilets) are not dumping grounds for garbage. Garbage often found in the Town’s sanitary system includes single-use wipes, paper towels, cleaning products, rubber gloves, diapers, feminine hygiene products, hazardous materials and food. These materials don’t break down like toilet paper and can cause damage to our wastewater infrastructure by clogging pipes and sewer mains, damaging pumps, and most importantly it puts operators at risk when they have to clean out and repair the damaged equipment.
Single-Use Wipes
Single-use wipes are often marketed as personal hygiene and household cleaning products. Many of these wipes are labeled as “flushable,” yet there is no standardized criteria or testing performed to demonstrate that they will not clog pipes or damage wastewater equipment. In fact, these single-use wipes have become particularly problematic for wastewater operations as their fibres get tangled in pumps, requiring hours of additional maintenance and cleaning. Just because these products are labeled flushable does not mean they should be flushed!
In addition to the wastewater operational challenges, single-use wipes are also increasing the amount of garbage being sent to landfills. When shopping for your personal hygiene and household cleaning products, please also consider the more environmentally friendly products available on the market.
Food Waste: Fats, Oils and Grease
When fats, oils, and grease (FOG) are poured or flushed down the drain they stick to pipes in the sewer system and create blockages that build-up and harden until they completely plug the pipes. These blockages result in sewage back-ups, basements flooding and many other unpleasant events that are hazardous and costly to fix.
Where do fats, oils, and grease come from?
The most common sources of household fats, oils, and grease are:
- meats and other food scraps (including baked goods)
- sauces, gravies, and salad dressings
- dairy products (milk, cream, yogurt, kefir, cheese)
- fats, lards, cooking oil, shortening, butter, and margarine
Please dispose of FOG compounds properly by putting them in your compost or garbage. Keeping a compostable container on your counter or in your fridge makes it easy to store and dispose of them.
Simply washing garbage down the drain does not make it go away. If you don’t know where something goes, please contact the Town's waste management provider, Simcoe County, at 705-726-9300 or visit the Simcoe County Waste Management website for more information.
Rain Barrels
Town of Collingwood residents can purchase rain barrels at the Town Hall. A maximum of two rain barrels can be purchased per resident. The cost is $45.00 including tax and delivery.
Effective February 1, 2022, if a tenant fails to pay the Water & Wastewater arrears for a period of 90 days or more, the total arrears balance at the date of transfer will be applied to the property tax roll, which is the responsibility of the property owner.
Schedule for notification of past due accounts:
30 days after the due date | EPCOR mails reminder letter to the primary account holder |
|---|---|
60 days past the due date | Town of Collingwood mails a notice to the primary account holder & property |
90 days past the due date | Town of Collingwood sends notice to primary account holder & property |
Property owners can have access to tenant water account balances by having their tenants complete
this form and submitting it to EPCOR. This form sets up the property owner to receive “third
party notification” allowing them to access information about the arrears balance, when the last payment
was made and if there are any payment arrangements in place.
If you have any questions, please review the FAQs. If you have further questions, please contact the tax department at taxes@collingwood.ca or 705-445-1030 ext. 3625.
The Water Services Department is responsible for the installation, replacement and testing of water meters.
In Collingwood, it is mandatory for all residential, commercial, industrial and institutional customers to have a water meter installed to measure the volume of water passing through the pipes. This ensures that each customer is billed for only the water they consume and the meters are typically located inside your home or building. It is the customers’ responsibility to have the meter accessible, should it need to be accessed by the Water Services Department.
| Meter Services | 2023 Fee |
|---|---|
| Water Meter Kit (standard 3/4" residential meter) | $440.00 |
| Water Meter Kit (>3/4" residential meter) | contact for pricing |
I need a water meter. What do I do?
Water meter kits can be purchased at the Town of Collingwood Building Department located on the 3rd floor at 55 Ste Marie St. Kits are $440 and include a spacer bar, wire, a touchpad and tail pieces. It is your responsibility to install the spacer bar, which is a placeholder for the water meter. Once it’s installed, please contact Water Services at 705-445-1581 to set up an appointment with the water meter technician, who will install the meter and the transmitter for meter reading.
If you do not have a water meter installed before your building is inspected by our Building Department, you will not receive an Occupancy Permit. It is in your best interest to contact us well in advance of your inspection to ensure a timely installation.
My water meter needs to be replaced. What do I do?
Please contact Water Services at 705-445-1581 to set up an appointment with the water meter technician, who will either fix the meter or replace it. If your meter is leaking or causing any sort of issue, it is your responsibility to notify us as soon as possible. The Town of Collingwood is not responsible for any damage caused by a leaking water meter- so contact us as soon as you notice an issue.
My transmitter has come off. What do I do?
If you have an issue with your transmitter, please contact Water Services at 705-445-1581 and we will re-install it. This is the mechanism that we use to read your water meter, so if it is disabled in any way we will estimate your water and wastewater consumption. It is in your best interest to let us know as soon as possible.
What is Frazil Ice?
Frazil ice is the thin layer of ice that forms on open, calm water, usually on clear nights when the water and air temperatures plummet. It consists of loose, randomly oriented needle-like ice crystals. Unlike solid ice, frazil ice sinks, quickly increases in size and easily adheres to things like water intake structures. The buildup of ice then restricts and/or blocks the intake of water into the water treatment plant.
How Often Does Frazil Ice Occur?
Operational issues caused by frazil ice accumulation at the intake for the water treatment plant are rare. The Water Department monitors the drinking water system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure operational issues caused by frazil ice are kept to a minimum.
What Should I Do During a Frazil Ice Event?
Operators respond quickly to prevent outages and significant pressure drops for Town of Collingwood water users. Should a frazil ice event take place, please wait from direction from Town of Collingwood staff. Typically, emergency measures such as limiting non-essential water use are all that is required.
Water mains are used to transport mass amounts of filtered water from our treatment plant to the pipes in your home. Water mains are built with ductile iron, cast iron, steel and concrete.
Water Main Flushing Program
Over time, minerals can settle in water mains and cause discoloured water appearing from your tap. To clean the mains, the Town of Collingwood will flush the system by running water at high speeds from hydrants throughout water mains. There are no chemicals used for this process. This typically occurs during the Spring & Fall as part of our maintenance program. This maintenance ensures the proper operation of fire hydrants and maintains water quality.
If a hydrant in your area is being flushed it can result in cloudy or discoloured water. We recommend that during this period avoid using water and once the flushing has been completed, run a water tap for five to ten minutes until the water runs clear. This water is safe and it is just the minerals becoming loose that is causing the change in colour to your water.
Water Main Auto-Flushers
Auto-flushers are installed on various hydrants as part of a routine maintenance program to assist with flushing the water system. Auto-flushers keep the water refreshed, promote water movement throughout the system, and remove minor sediment within the pipes. The auto-flushers flush water at selected intervals and residents may see large amounts of water flowing from the hydrant. These flushing intervals are pre-selected by Water Distribution staff and the flows are not constant (Example: auto flushers do not run constantly throughout the night). Please note that this is normal and an effective way to maintain the water distribution system and provide high quality drinking water.
Reporting A Water Main Break
A water main break can occur due to various reasons, which will generally result in a loss of water service or a pooling of water in a roadway.
If you suspect a water main break, please contact us immediately at 705-445-1581.
Water Valves
Valves are used for many purposes in a water system. They can shut-off, turn-on, control the flow of water and even regulate water pressure. Our distribution valves are maintained to ensure full operation in the Spring & Fall coinciding with our Water Main Flushing Program.
Every property has a water valve, which is often called a curb-stop or shut-off valve, and is usually found in a front yard or driveway. This controls the water flow from the water main to your property. These valves are owned and solely operated of the Town of Collingwood.
If you require a water turn-on/off or have noticed that your valve is damaged or the cap is missing, please contact the Water Services department at 705-445-1581 to schedule a maintenance appointment.
The tap water quality is the Town's top priority. Water is filtered via a direct-membrane filtration plant and sourced from the surface water of Georgian Bay.
In compliance with current regulations, the Town has an Operational Plan that describes how systems operate and the processes undertaken to meet the requirements of the Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS). The Operational Plan is available to the public, free of charge, upon request.
Please email water@collingwood.ca to obtain a copy of the report or to discuss any water quality-related issues.
Water Compliance Reports
The Town of Collingwood is pleased to provide you with an Annual Compliance Report. This is in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Ontario Regulation 170/03. This report is designed to inform you of the quality of the water being supplied to our community, our compliance to the SDWA and regulations, and our conformance with our:
- Municipal Drinking Water Works License;
- Drinking Water Works Permit; and
- Permit to Take Water
The goal is to provide you with a clean, safe, dependable supply of potable water at an affordable price.
For questions regarding the Collingwood Municipal Water System or the reports please contact:
Heather McGinnity, Manager, Environmental Services
Phone: 705-445-1581
Email: water@collingwood.ca
During business hours Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Quality Management Policy
The Corporation of the Town of Collingwood owns and operates the Collingwood Drinking Water System and is committed to:
- Maintaining and continually improving our Quality Management System;
- Providing a safe, reliable supply of potable drinking water to our customers;
- Meeting or exceeding all applicable legislation, regulations and other requirements;
- Communicating openly and effectively with employees, Council and the public;
- Providing services in an environmentally responsible manner.