Driveways, yards, sidewalks, curbs, and roads
Watermain construction typically requires digging trenches that may affect driveways, yards, sidewalks, curbs, and roads. These impacted areas will be repaired once construction is finished.
To maintain your water supply, we'll typically replace:
- The watermain located under the road or sidewalk.
- Your water service box, a small, round, metal shut-off valve located outside, usually on the property line between your house/business and the road. If you can't find your water service box, call us at 905-791-7800, ext. 4409.
- A section of the water service pipe that leads from the watermain to your water service box. Your water service pipe carries water from the closest watermain to your home or business.
If watermain construction is planned for your street:
- You will receive a letter to notify you.
- We recommend you delay any driveway paving or major landscaping projects until this construction work is completed.
Other information
Installing a new watermain usually requires digging a trench in the municipal right-of-way owned by the city, town, or region. The municipal right-of-way includes the street and the land between the street and your water service box. Depending on the location of the watermain, this trench might cause temporary damage to roads, curbs, sidewalks, boulevards, driveway aprons, and lawns within the municipal right-of-way.
Replacing the water service box will require digging a hole approximately two square meters in size. Your driveway will be impacted if your water service box is in your driveway. If your water service box is in your lawn, expect the lawn to be disturbed.
Where possible, your water service pipe will be installed using tunneling equipment. If tunnelling isn’t possible due to ground or environmental conditions, the contractor will need to dig a trench to install the new pipe. This trench may be in your driveway or lawn, depending on the location of your water service box.
If your front lawn is affected by this work, in-ground sprinkler systems may be disturbed. To minimize the impact to your sprinkler system, we strongly recommend moving any sprinkler lines that are located in the municipal right-of-way or next to the sidewalk. If you can’t relocate these sprinkler lines, before construction begins on your street, please:
- Email us a map created by your irrigation contractor, or
- Flag each sprinkler head that is located within the municipal right-of-way and/or within one meter of sidewalk, curb, or driveway.
Our work may also affect trees, shrubs or plants.
We will need to remove any plants, shrubs, or trees planted within one meter of fire hydrants or water service boxes. We strongly recommend moving these plants before construction begins. The Water By-law prohibits placing trees, shrubs, or any objects within 1 meter of any fire hydrants to allow access.
If tree branches within the municipal right-of-way interfere with construction, the trees will be pruned. If tree branches on private property interfere with construction, they will be pruned back to the nearest suitable trunk or branch. If you do not allow personnel onto your property to trim the tree, the branches will be cut vertically at the property line.
Any damage caused by Peel Region construction will be repaired. The contractor hired by Peel Region will restore the property as close as possible to its original state. Learn more about repairs.
In many cases, your private-side water service pipe is the same age or in the same condition as the municipal water service pipe that is being replaced.
You may want to consider replacing your private-side water service to ensure a constant supply of high-quality drinking water to your home or business.
Replacing a private-side water service is the responsibility of the property owner. Peel Region cannot do this work for you. Refer to replacing your private-side water service for more information.
If you decide not to replace your water service pipes, you might want to consider enrolling in Service Line Warranties of Canada’s service line warranty program. This warranty program provides protection from the unexpected and expensive costs of broken or frozen pipes on your private side property.
