How water enters and leaves your home

Knowing how water enters and leaves your home helps prevent water damage.

Water enters and exits your home through a series of pipes. These pipes connect to Peel Region’s water supply and wastewater collection system.

As a homeowner you need to know how water enters and leaves your home if you want to prevent water damage.

How water enters your home

Your private-side water pipe runs from your property line to the inside your home.

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining and replacing the private-side water pipe. Peel Region is responsible for replacing watermains, the large pipes that bring water to your home.

Peel Region also owns and maintains:

The water meter inside your home.
The remote water reading device attached to your home.
The pipes on the public side of the property line.

Consider enrolling in Service Line Warranties of Canada’s service line warranty program. It provides protection for your private side property from broken or frozen pipes.

Learn who owns what on a residential property.

Water meters, transmitters, and shutoff valves

Your water meter measures the exact amount of water that’s supplied to your property. Learn how to find and read your water meter to ensure that it’s working properly.

Water meters are typically found in the basement next to the main shutoff valve.

A transmitter shares water consumption information with the Region. It’s typically found outside the home. Keep the transmitter accessible.

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining their shutoff valve. Operate your shutoff valve every 6 months and replace it if it breaks. If your shutoff valve is broken, call 905-791-7800 to book a water shutoff appointment. This is required before a plumber can fix the valve.

Homeowners are also responsible for not tampering or altering their water meter and making sure it’s accessible if repairs or replacement is required by Peel Region.

If you’ll be away from home for a long time, turn your water off using the main shutoff valve to avoid costly leaks.

Learn more about your responsibilities if there’s a fire hydrant on your property.

The wastewater leaving your property

Wastewater is the dirty water from toilets, sinks, showers, and laundry.

The water collected in the pipes in your home goes into the sanitary sewer system through one pipe running beneath your home to the street.

Homeowners are responsible for the pipes that collect wastewater in the home. They are also responsible for the section of pipe that runs beneath the home to the property line.

Service Line Warranties of Canada’s optional service line warranty program can give you the option of protecting yourself from costly and unexpected repairs.

Stormwater

Stormwater is the rain and melted snow that flows from your property into streets, ditches, storm drains and local creeks, rivers, and lakes.

Unlike wastewater, stormwater flows directly into local water bodies and is not treated by our wastewater treatment plants.

If you are a property owner in the City of Mississauga or City of Brampton, a stormwater charge may appear on your Region of Peel water bill. This charge is collected on behalf of the cities and goes to investing in stormwater management.