Water and Sewer

Loyalist Township owns and operates two water treatment plants: Fairfield Water Treatment Plant in Amherstview, which provides treated drinking water to Amherstview, Odessa, and to Harewood and Brooklands Subdivisions; and Bath Water Treatment Plant, which provides treated drinking water to the village of Bath, and to the Millhaven and Bath Institutions.

If you are a Loyalist water customer, connection to and use of our water system is regulated by By-law 2024-12

Annual reports on the Township's drinking water systems are presented to Council early each year for the previous year. You can read these reports and more information on drinking water quality here

Seasonal outdoor water use restrictions are in effect from May 1 – September 30 each year. Outdoor water use for watering lawns or gardens, washing vehicles, etc., is restricted according to property

address.

Addresses ending in an odd number may use water outdoors on odd-numbered days. Addresses ending in an even number may use water outdoors on even-numbered days.

Residents may request a short-term (14 days) exemption from the outdoor water usage restriction by-law, in the case of new grass seed or sod. Requests must be made in writing. Please send an email and staff will respond to confirm the exemption. 

Do you escape the cold Canadian winters by heading to warmer climes? If you're a municipal water customer, it's your responsibility to ensure your water meter is protected from freezing.

This picture shows the underside of a water meter removed from a building that was unheated during the winter months. The frost plate of the meter is cracked from the water in the meter having frozen and expanded.

Under the Township’s Waterworks By-law 2024-12,  every property owner is liable for the safety and care of the water meter, including providing adequate frost protection. If the meter is damaged by freezing in an unheated building, the property owner is responsible for the cost of replacement.

If you’re planning to be away for an extended period during the winter months, plan to have your home checked regularly to ensure a minimum temperature is maintained in your absence. You can also schedule an appointment with the Utilities division to have your water turned off at the curbstop (the valve at the street) for the winter months. To schedule this service, please call or email the Utilities Clerk at 613-386-7351, ext. 302#.

There are two sanitary sewage collection systems in Loyalist Township. The Bath sewage collection system collects the sanitary sewage from the village of Bath and from the Millhaven and Bath Institutions. This is received and treated at the Bath Sewage Treatment Plant. The Loyalist East sewage collection system collects the sanitary sewage from the community of Amherstview, and from Odessa by means of the Bridge Street Pumping Station. This is received and treated at the Amherstview Water Pollution Control Plant

If you are a Loyalist utilities customer, the use of the sanitary sewer systems is regulated by By-law 2011-098. You can learn more about sanitary sewers and importantly, what should and shouldn't go into them, by visiting our Sanitary Sewers page

Annual reports on the Township's sewage treatment plants are presented to Council each year. You can read the most recent year's report and learn more about sewage treatment on our Sewage Treatment page

The mission of the Loyalist Township Utilities Division is to operate the Township's water and sanitary sewer infrastructure in such a way as to protect the health of all users, and to mitigate negative impact upon our environment by ensuring compliance with applicable laws.

The Utilities Division will strive to provide good customer service, in a cost effective and efficient manner, continually improving upon the operation and maintenance of the system, and always responding to customers in a professional manner.

Our impost fees by-law, By-law 2019-099, regulates the costs to connect to Loyalist Township water and sewer services as calculated in the 2019 connection charges study. These costs are charged to fund new and existing capacity for water and sewage treatment and pumping stations.

Water and sewer works charges (impost fees)

Factory Street, Odessa, has its own schedule

Additional works charges apply to these specific locations:

Timmerman Street

Odessa Trunk, Harewood, Brooklands  (definition of Odessa Trunk area)

Refer to Sections 51 and 52 of By-law 2019-099 for information on annual indexed increases to the fees published in the schedules to the by-law.

Several developers have prepaid a certain amount per unit with respect to water and sewage treatment. The following credits may be taken:

Credit to developers for prepaid water treatment

Credit to developers for prepaid sewage treatment

We will commission a new Impost Fees study in late 2025. 

For other services, please contact the following utilities:

Electrical service – Hydro One

Natural gas service – Enbridge

Loyalist Township does not rent water heaters. If you have purchased a home with a rented water heater, please check to see if there is a label on the tank to identify the rental company involved.

Both Bell Canada and Cogeco provide telephone, internet, and cable/satellite television service to areas of Loyalist Township. Other internet providers may be available, depending on your location.

Loyalist Township has an agreement with Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC), a provider of homeowner emergency repair programs, to provide optional and voluntary service plans to residents in Loyalist Township.

Residential property owners may receive mailings from SLWC about water service line and sewer/septic line coverage available to Loyalist homeowners.

Plans Available in Loyalist Township:

• Exterior Water Service Line coverage - $8.31/month
• Exterior Sewer/Septic Line coverage - $10.57/month

Benefits:

Residents are Benefitting: residents are becoming more educated about their responsibilities with the water and sewer lines that service their homes.

Common and Expensive Problem: Water and sewer line problems are common and expensive. Repairs to lines on homeowners’ property are typically not covered by basic homeowners insurance or by Loyalist Township and can be quite expensive.

Peace of Mind: Coverage through SLWC offers Loyalist Township homeowners peace of mind. SLWC is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. Repairs are given the highest priority and local, licensed, and approved contractors are dispatched to customers’ homes to make the necessary covered repairs — all with no callout fees or deductibles.

Trusted Partner: Loyalist Township has partnered with SLWC, part of HomeServe offering a program that is used by over 700 cities, municipalities, and utilities across North America, including over 50 in Ontario. SLWC has been in business since 2014 and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. SLWC and its parent, HomeServe, provide service to more than 4 million homeowners, and has performed more than 1.3 million repairs for customers over the last 3 years, and received high ratings from customers receiving service.

Key Contact information

SLWC toll-free phone number: 1-866-922-9004

SLWC website for more information

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between SLWC and Loyalist Township?
 Each agreement with a utility or municipality is a little different and is tailored to meet the needs of the community. The partnership allows Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) to offer customers competitive monthly fees on available services to residents. Importantly, the decision by residents to sign up for a SLWC service plan is completely optional.

Why did Loyalist Township partner with SLWC?
SLWC is the nation's largest and most trusted source of utility line plans and is partnered with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and their commercial division Local Authority Services (LAS). An objective of the SLWC program is education because many residents are not aware that buried water and sewer lines on their property are their responsibility to maintain. A broken or blocked service line on the property can cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace and many times residents are unprepared for this unexpected expense. The Township’s program with SLWC not only works to educate the residents but also provides a solution for residents that is entirely optional.

How common are utility line breakages and what are the common repair costs?
Each year, SLWC, together with its parent HomeServe, performs tens of thousands of water and sewer service line repairs for customers across North America. It is very difficult to determine when a pipe may fail, with key contributors being the type of piping material, age of the service pipe, soil conditions and installation quality. Water line repairs can be costly – a replacement averages $2,500 nationally. With the modest cost of SLWC’s service plan, homeowners would still see financial benefit if the service line didn’t break for another few decades – versus saving the monthly fee at current rates.

Doesn’t my homeowner’s insurance already cover these repairs?
Typically, no.  Most homeowners are surprised to learn that they are responsible for the repair and replacement of broken or leaking utility lines if they are on their property. Property owners are encouraged to review their existing insurance coverage to avoid possible duplication. While most basic homeowners policies will pay to repair the damage created by failed utility lines, they typically do not cover the cost of the repair of the line itself. 

Why does SLWC use Loyalist Township’s logo in its marketing materials?
Loyalist Township’s agreement with SLWC allows the company to use the Township’s logo in communications to indicate that there is a formal relationship in place and to let residents know that the offering is legitimate, it is for the residents benefit and has the approval of the Township. All of the mailings SLWC sends to Loyalist Township residents are first reviewed and approved by the Township prior to use. SLWC is committed to transparency in all of its communications. All SLWC materials clearly state that the services the company offers are voluntary and that they are offered by SLWC, a private company that is separate from the city.

Isn’t it unethical/unseemly for cities to partner with a private entity?
It is not a new idea for the public and private sectors to work together; it is about bringing Loyalist Township residents a solution to a real problem facing homeowners around the country. SLWC brings the best of the private sector, including efficiency and expertise, to relieve the burden on homeowners facing expensive repairs. At the same time, SLWC supports communities by helping us, as local decision-makers, tackle the problem of making sure all of our community’s water and sewer infrastructure is maintained. It is good practice to bring together the best of what public and private entities have to offer.