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Water and Wastewater (Sewer)
For information regarding COVID-19 and recent updates check out our News section
Recent Press Releases:
Town Addresses Residents' Water Bill Concerns
Town Defers Tax and Water Bill Due Dates
The 2nd Quarter Water Bills for 2020 will be mailed on Monday, July 6, 2020 and are due Monday, July 27, 2020.
For more information, contact our Water Billing Department at 905-640-1910 ext. 2331.
Water/Sewer bills for 2020 are due 4 times a year:
- April 27
- July 27
- October 26
- January 27, 2021
Water Billing Information Flyer
Water Meter Replacement Program Insert
Virtual Town Hall allows property owners to access a variety of online services including:
- Viewing Water and property tax bills and transaction history
- View and request a change for your mailing address on file.
(Your request will be submitted through GP system and must be approved by Town staff before it will be active) - View MPAC assessment values for the property, which are used to calculate your annual taxes. (Assessment values are updated in February each year)
- Enroll in e-billing for water and property tax bills.
- This will also allow you to all correspondence through email
- Pre-authorized payment plans:
- Enroll
- Cancel
- Change banking information
- Make debit card or credit card payments towards property taxes, water bills or accounts receivable invoices
- Credit Card payments are made through a 3rd party – applicable fee is charged and collected by the 3rd party only (PayTM)
- These payments will be electronically uploaded by staff the next morning and posted to the property tax and/or water account.
In addition to access by property owners, we also provide access to law firms and mortgage companies to purchase online tax certificates and make their payment by debit or credit card.
Instructions for Property OwnersInstructions for Law Firms
Annual Water /Sewer Rates
Each year the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville sets the Water and Sewer Rate based on the cost of delivering these services. The rates ensure sufficient funding is received to pay for:
- Supply of drinking water from York Region
- Wastewater treatment provided by York Region
- Costs required to operate and maintain the Town's water and sewer systems, including costs for replacement of water and sewer mains.
Water and sewer billing revenue is used exclusively to fund the operation and maintenance of the municipal water and sewer system. Municipalities are required by Provincial legislation (O. Reg. 453/07 Financial Plans) to provide full cost accounting, and all costs must be recovered through water and sewer rates. Water and Sewer rates are not supplemented by any other municipal levy. Similarly water and sewer rates are not used for any other purpose and do not contribute to the Town's general revenue or tax revenue.
The Municipal water and wastewater (sewer) rates were revised at the April 21, 2020 Council meeting. Find the news release here and rates are as follows:
| 2020 Water / Wastewater Rates | Rate /cu. meter |
|---|---|
| Water | $2.1825 |
| Wastewater | $2.9979 |
| Total (Water and Wastewater) | $5.1804 |
Stormwater Rates
The Town provides stormwater management services to protect the community and the environment from the adverse effects of stormwater runoff. Stormwater management controls water flow quantity to help prevent erosion and flooding, and controls water flow quality to protect the environment from potentially harmful contaminants.
The Town’s stormwater network includes culverts, ditches, storm sewers, storm sewer manholes and catch basins, stormwater management ponds and other facilities.
In 2019, Council approved the first step in the transfer of stormwater management funding from property taxes to a user-fee program.
The new stormwater user rate appears on quarterly utility bills beginning in July 2019. These fees will be used to fund rehabilitation, replacement and maintenance of the Town’s stormwater network.
| 2020 Stormwater Rates | Rate /quarter billing |
|---|---|
| Residential | $8.00 |
| Commercial | $31.25 |
To access historic Water and Wastewater rates, please click here.
Methods of payment for Water and Sewer
- Pre-authorized payment plan - the amount of your water/sewer bill will be withdrawn from your account on the due date. Please contact the Water Department for the enrolment deadline at 905-640-1910 ext. 2331.
- At your financial institution, including Online or telephone banking, using your 9-digit (excluding the decimal) water/sewer account number which is shown on your water/sewer bill (Example: For water acct #1234567.00, enter 123456700 as account number)
- By mail, please enclose the payment stub and make your cheque payable to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. Cheques may be post dated to the due date
- In person at the Municipal Office, 111 Sandiford Dr. Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or there is a "Drop Box" available 24 hours located at the main doors
Penalty/interest charges
- Will be added to amounts past due at the rate of 1.25 per cent on the first day of each month
- Are set by by-law under authority of The Municipal Act and cannot be waived or reduced by members of staff
Tenant-Occupied Property
If you own a property that you are renting and would like the water bill redirected to your tenant, you must complete the Change of Direction of Water Billing form and submit with the applicable fees.
The Property Owner must notify the Town of any tenant change.
Selling a Stouffville property
Homeowners who have sold a property in Stouffville, that have a water meter, are required to schedule a final water meter read and provide a forwarding address for their final bill. Please complete the Water Billing Account Change Request form and email directly to water@townofws.ca .
If you are enrolled in the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, please complete the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Cancellation Request and email directly to water@townofws.ca
Some lawyers will request this final water meter read on your behalf. Contact your lawyer directly to determine if they have sent the request.
Purchasing a Stouffville property with water services
Future homeowners who have purchased a property in Stouffville can contact us 10 business days before the closing of the property to ensure a final water meter reading has been scheduled. Please complete the Water Billing Account Change Request form to set up your new water/sewer account and email directly to water@townofws.ca .
Some lawyers will request a new account to be opened on your behalf. Contact your lawyer directly to determine if they have sent the request.
Water leaks are costly
If you have a leak, your water use will increase and remain elevated until it is fixed. This will affect your water consumption charges and result in a higher utility bill.
Remember, you may not hear or see a "leak". Most leaks are silent, and you will not necesarily see water on the floor!
How to Check for Water Leaks
- Watch your meter dial: The face of the water meter features a flow indicator that spins as water flows through the meter (small red triangular on an older style meter or a red dial on the new style meter). To check for leaks, turn off all indoor and outdoor faucets and observe the meter. Any movement of the flow indicator while not using any water may indicate the presence of a water leak in your system.
- Conduct a Dye Test on your Toilet: Toilets are a common cause of leaks. To check for leaks, place food colouring in the tank at the back of your toilet. Do not flush. Wait and observe for 10-15 minutes. If colour seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak.
Please note that you are responsible for all water and sanitary sewer charges associated with the water that passes through the water meter.
Water Filtration Units and High Water Bills
Some houses use appliances such as humidifiers, water filtration units and water softeners that make the home more comfortable and can also use significant amounts of water. It is important that homeowners understand how these types of appliance work and how to control the amount of water they consume.
All appliances can malfunction and some water filtration units have been linked to extreme excessive water consumption. If you own any water filtration unit, we encourage you to monitor it regularly to ensure it is operating properly.
Water filtration units can malfunction and remain in 'self clean' mode which can increase daily water consumption up to 35 cubic meters per day. Average daily household usage in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville is 0.68 cubic meters.
An increase in water use will result in high water bills. All water bills are based on the water meter readings. You are responsible for the cost of all water that passes through your water meter, whether it is used or wasted.
Leaks in your home, such as a dripping faucet or running toilet can also lead to high water bills. A leaky toilet can waste up to 600+ cubic metres a month or 20 cubic metres a day. See above for useful information about testing for leaks in your water system.
Reading the Water Meter
- Water meters are read prior to each billing to record the water consumption that has passed through your water meter during that consumption period. All water use, including water consumed by leaks, is your responsibility and will be charged to your water account.
- Please ensure the remote reader located outside your home is not obstructed.
- When we are not able to get a current reading of your water meter, a notice will be left on your door requesting that you provide the Town with a water meter reading or make an appointment with our Public Works Department to provide access to the water meter.
- The cost of this appointment will be paid by the Town - unless the problem has been caused by the owner. In this case, the owner will be billed for the service call plus an administration fee.
- To learn how a residential meter registers water usage, please visit http://townofws.ca/watermeter.