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There are many treatment steps and monitoring systems in place to ensure your tap water meets health standards and government regulations. Tap water is sampled and tested every day. 

For more information, see the Municipal Water Info Sheet PDF.

Water Billing and Payments

Billing

Water and sewer fees apply to residences that receive municipal water and sewer services. Bills are issued in February, May, August and November of each year. You can access your water and wastewater bills online using the e-services portal.

Water and Sewer Rates By-law


Payment Options

  • Banking, online or telebanking from the financial institution of your choice. 
  • Pre-authorized payment plan. Download the Pre-authorized Debit Payment Form and email it to support@westnipissing.ca.
  • By mail or drop-off box at 225 Holditch Street, Sturgeon Falls, Ontario P2B 1T1 
  • In person at the Municipal Building using debit, cash, or cheque. 

About pre-authorized payment plans

  • Pre-authorized monthly payment. Automatic withdrawals will be made on the due date only.
  • Twelve Month Plan. Payments are withdrawn over 12 months on the 1st of every month.
Requesting Service Connection to Your Property

As per the Service Connection Policy 2010/203, the Municipality will provide direction for the installation of water and sanitary services to private property owners.

Steps involved between the Property Owner, Municipality and Contractor

Step 1
Property Owner requests service connection using the online form or by emailing the completed PDF form to support@westnipissing.ca.

Step 2
Property Owner pays the $75 non-refundable service fee.

Step 3
Upon payment, the Municipality conducts a site survey (main locations, depth, main size, etc.). Site information is shared with Owner for quoting purposes.

Step 4
Property Owner selects a contractor from the list of municipally approved companies and provides the Municipality with the contractor’s written quotation for approval and acceptance.

Approved Contractors

Step 5 – Fees
Prior to commencement of work, the following fees are payable to the Municipality by the Owner:

  • non-refundable $150 per water connection;
  • non-refundable $150 per sanitary sewer connection;
  • non-refundable $75 per storm sewer connection (if applicable);
  • refundable deposit of the estimated cost of restoration to municipal standards, or a minimum of $1,000.00 (whichever is greater).

Additional costs may be incurred should further inspections and/or supervision be required: $40.00/hour during daytime, $60.00/hour after-hours.

Well Water Testing

The Municipality provides water sample kits and accepts well water samples on Wednesdays by 1 p.m at the Municipal Office. Water samples are assessed at the Ontario Public Health Lab Services in Sudbury.

Samples should be kept cool and must be tested within 48 hours of collection in order to ensure sample integrity.

For more information about the process and how to get your results, please visit the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit’s Water Testing page.

Discoloured Water

During treatment, most minerals such as manganese and iron are removed from the water. It is normal for treated water to still contain low concentrations of particles, which can settle in the pipes. Municipal pipes are flushed 1 to 2 times per year to prevent excessive build-up.

If your water is discoloured, please run your cold water only until it becomes clear. If it does not change after 5 minutes, please contact the support team at 705-753-2250.

If your cold water runs clear, but your hot water is discoloured, you could have sediment build-up in your hot water tank. A plumber or a water heater rental company can help drain the tank or identify degrading equipment, pipes and valves in your home. 

Sewer Flushing Program

Sanitary Sewer Flushing is conducted on an ongoing basis as part of the Preventative Maintenance Program. Flushing removes debris, sand and gravel from the collection system. During this time, customers may experience blowback from the main. When blowback occurs, it is usually due to poor venting in the residence. If you experience blowback, please contact the Water and Wastewater Department.

Sewer Blockage

First steps

If you suspect that there is a sewer blockage or back-up, please refrain from using any water until the blockage is cleared. This will help minimize or avoid any damages.

In the event of a municipal sewer back-up, always inform the Municipality at 705-753-2250 or 705-753-1170 (after-hours). Immediately after the call is logged, a Water Distribution/Collection employee will be dispatched to investigate and rule out a Sewer Main line back-up. Undetected and delayed responses to Main line back-ups can quickly result in multiple homes being damaged.

After a Sewer Main line back-up has been ruled out by a municipal employee, property owners can contact the plumber of their choice to clear the blockage if required.

Before you attempt to clear a blocked service lateral, contact Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 for a free natural gas locate. Municipal operators will not proceed unless they have confirmation that the home owner has clearance. Clearance will either be a paper signed by the locator, or a confirmation number phoned in. Union Gas considers this to be high priority and should have the gas locate completed within two hours.

Possible Causes

There are several possible causes for a sewage blockage/backup, including, but not limited to:

  • Blockage within the service lateral due to age, roots, settlement or objections too large to convey
  • Blockage in the collection main or manhole, or pump station failure. This is quickly identified when more than one home located in the same area are affected.
  • Surcharging in the collection main due to abnormally high flows and/or heavy rainfall

Responsibility

  • As per Municipal Policy, the property owner is responsible for their lateral up to the sanitary sewer main.
  • Should the sewer be blocked due to improper use (such as rags, diapers, etc.), it will be the owner’s responsibility to cover the cost to clean and repair the lateral.
  • The property owner must provide clear access to a proper clean out.
  • If the back-up is caused by a defective pipe on the Municipal portion of the lateral, the fee for service may be waived. It is necessary for the property owner to schedule a closed circuit camera inspection (CCTV) by the Municipality to make this determination.
Frozen Water Line

When a customer reports that the water service is frozen, the following procedure applies:

If the service line is frozen within the inside of the building or dwelling, the owner or occupant shall be notified that it is not a municipal responsibility. If the municipal worker determines this on site, the service charge will apply.

If the Water and Wastewater Department determines that the water service line is frozen outside the dwelling or building, the owner or occupant must complete a consent form before any work is started. If there is no inside shut off valve, one must be installed at the owner’s expense. An inside shut off valve is necessary because the thawing process required open access to the water service line.

If the frozen service line is determined to be on the municipal side of the service, then the municipality will be responsible for all expenses to correct the problem. The cost of the service will be waived.

Fire Hydrant Flushing

The Water and Wastewater Department is required to test all fire hydrants, and flush all watermains throughout the municipal water distribution systems. A complete flushing for all of Sturgeon Falls, Cache Bay and Verner takes place in the spring, and a minor flushing for only the problematic areas in the fall.

The work may cause some discoloration in the water; however the effect should be minimal. If a coloured water problem is encountered in your water service line, flushing the service by letting the cold water run for a short period of time until the water is clear. If the colour water persists, please contact the Municipality for assistance.

Facilities

Field Wastewater Treatment Plant
Lot 4, Concession V, Field

Sturgeon Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant
1 Third Street, Sturgeon Falls

Sturgeon Falls Water Treatment Plant
11 Nipissing Street, Sturgeon Falls

Verner Water Treatment Plant
2 St. Amour Road, Verner

Verner Lagoon
Lot 8, Concession 3, Verner

OCWA Ontario Clean Water Agency is the operating authority for the Water Plant and Lagoons in Verner. Please visit ocwa.com for more information.

Peter Ming
Manager of Water/Wastewater Operations
pming@westnipissing.ca

Reports – Drinking Water Systems
Sturgeon Falls

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For more information about the documents listed, you may reach:
Peter Ming
Manager of Water/Wastewater Operations
pming@westnipissing.ca

The Water and Wastewater Team

  • Delivers safe drinking water to the community 
  • Provides reliable sanitary sewage collection 
  • Supplies water for firefighting services where drinking water is available 
  • Operates in highly governed structures of federal, provincial and municipal regulations, policies and standards

Report a problem

Submit an online Service Request

Email support@westnipissing.ca

Call 705-753-2250 during regular business hours

For urgent matters outside of business hours, please call 705-753-1170.

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