Site Servicing: Installation, replacement or repair

Definitions

• Private property: Section of the property that is located inside the property line.
• City property: Also known as the Right-of-Way (ROW) – section of the property that is located outside the property line.
• Site services: Water lines, sanitary sewers and storm sewers from City mains to private property
• Curb stop: Water shutoff valve on the water site service that is typically located in proximity of property line. (Corporation stop, water box, water service)

Permit application requirements

Site servicing work on private property requires a building permit. Site servicing work on City property requires approval from the Engineering Department (see Servicing within the City Right-of-Way section below).

• Building permit applications are submitted on the Guelph Permit and Application System.
• Select application type Mechanical and work type Site Services

Servicing within private property

• Upload to your application a site plan or sketch with the following details:
  • The building footprint with civic address, sidewalk (if applicable), street and property line.
  • The location of each service to be installed, repaired or replaced with dimensions relative to building and lot lines. If only replacing a portion of the servicing, clearly indicate the section(s) of the pipe(s) to be replaced.
  • Location of the curb stop.
  • Indicate the type of materials, size of materials and depth of each service.

Note: Locates reports will not be accepted.

• Once the building permit has been reviewed and issued, construction can begin. The required inspections are identified on the building permit. Please book an inspection through the Guelph Permit and Application System. For questions regarding inspections, please call 519-837-5614.

Servicing within City right-of-way

• If it is determined that new, replacement, or upgraded services are required, the Engineering Technical Services team will be included in the review process.
• A site servicing drawing will need to be provided by a qualified designer/draftsperson. The drawing shall include these specific details:
  • Plan of site including property lines, existing road, existing or proposed building, and existing underground infrastructure
    • Metric dimensions and using a typical engineering scale (ex. 1:100, 1:250, 1:500)
    • Existing and proposed servicing: material, size, location, slope, inverts, structure lid elevations, and details of connections
    • Existing surface features: roadway, curb, sidewalk, driveway, utilities, hydrants, vegetation, etc.
  • Following the review of the drawing, a cost estimate will be created by Technical Services staff and a security deposit will be required.
  • The property owner shall be responsible for hiring the contractor to complete the servicing work within the right-of-way. Before any work can start within the right of way, a Road Occupancy Permit – Construction Works application is required.
  • Inspections of servicing work within the right-of-way (ROW) will be directly coordinated between the contractor and the City’s Engineering Technical Services team via the Site Servicing Street Occupancy Permit.
  • Once a contractor has been hired, it is recommended they submit a Water Commissioning Plan as an approved plan is recommended prior to applying for a Street Occupancy permit. A Water Commissioning Plan is required if the proposed water service is greater than 50mm and more than 6m in length. WCP can be submitted to [email protected].
    • If a Water Commissioning Plan is required, please use the Watermain Commissioning Plan Template for Contractors (MS Word .docx)
  • Following final restoration of the City infrastructure within the right-of-way (ROW), the property owner shall notify Technical Services for a final review. Once the restoration is deemed compliant, the City will release the security deposit.
  • Any applicable inspection or administrative fees associated with work within the right-of-way (ROW) will be drawn from the existing security deposit or invoiced separately to the applicant.

Accessing water supply when redeveloping your property

When you redevelop or add more housing units to your property, you need to consider possible increases to your water needs. People living in new housing units will rely on water to wash the dishes, take showers, do laundry and more, so it’s important to make sure you have the infrastructure in place to support them.

The size of the water pipe that connects to your property is based on the needs of the property, as per the Ontario Building Code. If you need a larger water pipe, you must replace the entire pipe—from the water meter to the watermain—to ensure good water flow and pressure. This process is laid out in Section 21 of the City of Guelph Water Bylaw (By-Law 2024-20910).

Have a question? We are here to help!

When you’re ready to start the building permit process, you can contact Building Services with any questions.

Please email [email protected] or call 519-837-5615 to reach one of our staff.

Frequently asked questions

How do I determine the size of the water pipe to my property?

When you apply for a building permit to redevelop or build new units, the Ontario Building Code (OBC) requires calculating the hydraulic water needs of the new dwelling to be built. If a bigger pipe is needed in accordance with the OBC, you must upgrade the water service.

To determine the size of your water pipe, you can consult a Professional Plumber.

Why am I responsible for the costs of upgrading public side infrastructure?

As more additional dwelling units are built and property water needs for these new dwelling units increases, the needed service sizing upgrades would accelerate the timing of replacement of the original water service asset to the property. As a result, the  City of Guelph Water Bylaw (bylaw 2024-20910) was approved by Council in 2024 to direct practices in these circumstances.

The bylaw states that property owners are responsible for any costs associated with upgrading water servicing infrastructure on private property and within the right-of-way to allow for new development. This includes home redevelopment or additional dwelling units. This bylaw is consistent with the policies of neighbouring municipalities.

Are there ways to offset the costs of upgrading public side infrastructure, if required?

Yes! The Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan provides grants for property owners who commit to rent an additional dwelling unit at an affordable rate for a minimum of 15 years, according to the Provincial Government’s Affordable Residential Unit Bulletin.

Eligible affordable housing projects may qualify for up to $20,000 to cover the costs of water service upgrades.

To learn more, please visit the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan page on guelph.ca/housing or email [email protected].

Road Occupancy Permit – Construction Works

These application forms work best if downloaded, saved, and opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Road Occupancy Permit: Construction Works

Please email your complete application submission package to [email protected] for staff to review.

Contact information

For more information on site services in the right-of-way, please contact Engineering Technical Services at [email protected] or at 519-837-5604.

For more information on how to apply for a building permit for site services, please contact Building Services at [email protected] or at 519-837-5615.

For more information on the Lead Pipe Replacement Program, please contact Water Services at [email protected] or at 519-822-1260 extension 2263.

Additional contact information