Request a Water and/or Sewer Service Connection or Disconnection

The Municipal Services Application form is now available as a web form. The Excel version of the form will no longer be accepted as of June 25, 2025.

 

Connection to or disconnection from the City’s water supply or sewer system can be requested for:

  • renovation
  • new construction, or
  • separating a shared service (“Y” connection that provides water to two properties or connects two properties to the City sewer system) into individual connections.

The City does not replace or install water or sewer service connections on private property. This is the property owner’s responsibility.

Service Connection Requirements

New water and sewer service connections are required for:

  • all new construction
  • substantially demolished buildings (when more than 50 per cent of the exterior walls of the first storey above grade are demolished, whether or not they are replaced) as required by the Sewers By-law and Water Supply By-law
  • when converting to a septic system to a sewer connection.

Service connection design, including water meter sizing and location, must comply with all applicable City of Toronto requirements, including but not limited to:

Visit the Water Meters page for further information.

For industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI), or multi-unit residential properties where groundwater will be discharged to the sewer system, a Private Water Discharge Approval Application must be submitted to the City.

Please select your property type to find the application requirements and how to apply for a water/sewer service connection or disconnection:

The re-use of existing residential water and sewer services can be considered for substantially demolished buildings if they meet current City standards and specifications subject to City approval. This applies to water service connections up to and including 25 mm in diameter and sewer service connections up to and including 150 mm in diameter.

To apply for the reuse of existing water and sewer services, follow the ICI application process.

How to apply

Single-family residential properties and multi-residential properties with up to five units can apply online for a 19 mm or 25 mm water and/or sewer service connection or disconnection by clicking on the “Apply Now” button.

  • Industrial, commercial and institutional properties (ICI) should apply for a water and/or sewer service connection or disconnection by following the ICI application process.
  • Applications for water and/or sewer service connection or disconnection larger than 25 mm should follow the ICI application process.

    Apply Now

    To apply by email or make a credit card payment by phone, please contact twc@toronto.ca.
    To apply in person, please contact twc@toronto.ca. In-person applications are by appointment only.

    Application requirements

    You must have the following information with you when you apply:

    • Letter of authorization (if applicant is not the property owner): If someone other than the property owner is applying for the service connection (for example, a contractor), the owner must provide a letter that authorizes the agent to apply for the service(s) on their behalf and states that the owner is responsible for all fees associated with the service(s) provided.
    • For construction of new single-family dwellings:
      • Hard copy of the Lot Grading Site Plan: The plan must be approved by Toronto Building. It should indicate the location of the proposed water and sewer service connections and clearly identify the elevation of the proposed underside of footing and driveway slope.

    How to apply

    Industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) properties can apply for a water and/or sewer service connection or disconnection by:

    Single-family residential properties requesting for a water and/or sewer service connection and where the new water service requested is equal to or less than 25 mm (1 in.) can apply by following the single-family residential properties application process.

    Application requirements

    You must provide the following information when you submit the Municipal Services Application form:

    • Letter of authorization (if applicant is not the property owner): If someone other than the property owner is applying for the service connection (for example, a contractor), the owner must provide a letter than authorizes the agent to apply for the service(s) on their behalf and states that the owner is responsible for all fees associated with the service(s) provided.
    • Site servicing plan: The plan should show the location and size of the required site services, including detailed cross sections and profiles showing all invert elevations. All underground utilities should be shown in the drawings. Where the site servicing plans are not subject to review by Development Engineering or Engineering Transit Review, the plans must be signed, sealed and dated by a professional engineer. Toronto Water may need to conduct a technical review, which is subject to applicable fees.
      • Five (5) hard copies of the site servicing plan shall be provided by the applicant at the pre-construction meeting.
    • Geotechnical reports: The reports should clarify the following underground conditions, including but not limited to: soil conditions, water table information and contaminated spoil information.
    • All other documents that may help in pricing the work.

    The City or its contractor shall not be held responsible for additional costs that may arise due to lack of information provided at the time of application.

    Where an applicant feels their services are very small in size and scope and does not want to provide detailed site servicing plans, they may opt to proceed with a “blind bid” by submitting only the Municipal Services Application form. In this case, they must however, agree in writing that they are responsible to pay for any cost increase should the underground or other conditions be contrary to initial assumptions made at time of application.

    Sizes, fees and timelines

    Connections will be sized according to the intended use, as defined by the approved application.

    Toronto Water estimates the costs by tendering the job to a roster of approved City of Toronto contractors. The costs will be communicated to the applicant within approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks from when an application is made. The applicant is required to pay all fees in advance of construction.

    Should the scope of work change during construction, the applicant will be required to pay additional costs to cover the scope change before additional work proceeds. The City reserves the right to stop work should the constructed work exceed deposits.

    Once the work is complete, the actual costs will be determined. Should the actual costs be less than the estimate, the payer will be issued a refund. If the costs are greater, the applicant will be sent an invoice. The applicant is responsible for all actual costs associated with the services delivered.

    The City works to turnaround every application and complete the construction of the services within 12–14 weeks from the time the application is made (not including the time required for Toronto Water to complete a technical review where applicable). This timeline may however be extended depending on the time of the year (December to January) or should adverse weather events delay progress on site.

    The fees are determined by Toronto City Council annually. See the fees for this year.

    Sewer services, may include the following:

    • Installing 150 mm (6 in. diameter) sewer service connections.
    • Disconnecting sewer service connections.
    • Re-use of residential sewer service connection – subject to approval.

    Water services, may include the following:

    • Installing 19 mm (¾ in.) residential water service and meter.
    • Installing 25 mm (1 in.) residential water service and meter.
    • Disconnecting any residential water service less than or equal to 25 mm.
    • Re-use of residential water service 19 mm to 25 mm – subject to approval
    • Note: Both the water service and water meter must be sized based on the City’s design requirements. In some cases, water service and meter sizes may not match. Refer to the Water Meters page for further information.

    Note: If upgrading the private water service from 13 mm (½ in.). to 19 mm (¾ in.), it is recommended that the City’s side is upgraded to match. Replacing both will provide the most benefit in terms of pressure and flow.

    Applicants requesting a water service greater than 25 mm (1 in.) are required to follow the ICI application process.

    • Credit card: American Express, Visa and MasterCard (online or by phone)
    • Wire transfer or electronic funds transfer
    • Certified cheque (made payable to “Treasurer, City of Toronto”)
    • Bank draft or money order (made payable to “Treasurer, City of Toronto”)

    In-person payments will be by appointment only. Payment must be made by one “payor.” Payment from more than one individual or company will not be accepted.

    Installation will occur within 12 weeks of receiving payment. Applicants must contact their assigned City contractor to schedule and confirm the location of the water and sewer service connections. Applicants will be provided with the contractor’s contact information at the time of application and payment.

    Once the new water service has been installed, a request must be submitted to have the water turned back on.

    Technical reviews help manage potential impacts to the City’s water and sewer systems and ensure the City’s design requirements are met. Water and/or sewer service connections which are not subject to review and approval by Development Engineering or Engineering Transit Review may require a technical review by Toronto Water, which is subject to applicable fees.

    A technical review by Toronto Water is required for:

    • new or upgraded fire water service connections, or where an existing fire water service connection is proposed to be reconnected to a different watermain for sizes greater than 200 mm in diameter
    • new or upgraded domestic water service connections, or where an existing domestic water service connection is proposed to be reconnected to a different watermain for sizes greater than 100 mm in diameter
    • new or upgraded sanitary connections, or where an existing sanitary connection is proposed to be reconnected to a different sewer for:
      • sizes greater than 150 mm in diameter, and
      • connections of any size where the connection discharges to a combined sewer or a sanitary sewer which discharges to a combined sewer rather than a sanitary trunk sewer
    • storm connections (see whether a Storm Connection Exemption is required and how to apply)
    • service connections proposed within a City-owned easement, or on City-owned land which is not a right-of-way
    • new or relocated hydrants or proposed municipal sewers or watermains
    • certain parks applications

    Required supporting documentation for a technical review for proposed water and/or sanitary service connections includes:

    • Site service connection plan (1:100): The site service connection plan should be prepared, stamped, signed and dated by a professional engineer licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. It should show the plan and profiles of the proposed service connections.
    • Servicing report: The servicing report should be prepared, stamped, signed and dated by a professional engineer licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. The report should include, at a minimum, the following information:
      • For water service connections, demonstration that the service was sized in accordance with the City’s Design Criteria for Sewers and Watermains.
      • For sanitary connections to combined sewers or to sanitary sewers discharging to the combined sewer system, demonstration of compliance with Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) Procedure F-5-5. Refer to Criterion 3 for combined sewers in the City’s Sewer Capacity Assessment Guidelines when Section 3.1 Item 2b) of these guidelines applies.
      • For sanitary connections which include groundwater discharge or a change in the existing sanitary drainage pattern, demonstration that there will be no basement flooding or capacity issues in the downstream sewer system under proposed conditions, in accordance with the principles of the City’s Sewer Capacity Assessment Guidelines.

    Considerations before applying for service connection/disconnection

    • Should submission requirements not be met as outlined above, an application will be deemed incomplete. The review and associated response timelines will not begin until the application is complete.
    • Complex applications may require more information to support the application, as determined by Toronto Water staff.
    • The response time after the submission of the first complete application is four (4) to six (6) weeks.
    • The response time after the submission of revisions is 10 business days for each required revision.

    Toronto Water will review the submitted materials and if the application meets the necessary acceptance conditions, acceptance from Toronto Water will be issued within 10 business days of the final submission. Toronto Water will approve the report and design drawings and provide a copy to the applicant so that the applicant can have verification of the acceptance.