Water & Wastewater

Water/Wastewater accounts are billed quarterly unless they have a two inch or greater water meter, which are billed monthly.  There are three billing cycles which are identified by the account number as follows:

• Account numbers that start with 04, 07, 08 and 09 are billed in January, April, July and October
• Account numbers that start with 01, 02, 03, and 10 are billed in February, May, August and November
• Account numbers that start with 05 and 06 are billed in March, June, September and December

Water/Wastewater bill payments are due on the last business day of the month being billed.

Water bills for residents in the B Cycle (account numbers that start with 01, 02, 03 & 10) were mailed out on Monday May 9 with a due date of Tuesday May 31. Delays or losses caused by Canada Post are beyond our control.

A fee will be charged for a duplicate receipt or statement of account.

If payment is not received on or before the due date, penalty is applied consisting of 5% of the current billing amount.

1. Get enrolled in our Pre-Authorized Payment Plan
2. Online Banking or Telephone Banking
3. Chartered Banks, Caisse populaire, Credit Union, Trust Companies. Payments accepted on or before installment due date only.
4. Payment by Mail: Enclose payment stub(s) with cheque/money order. If a receipt for payment is required, please send a self-addressed/stamped envelope along with the entire bill and your payment.
5. In Person: Civic Square, 60 East Main Street, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
6. After Hours: deposit payments (cheques only) in the Civic Square drop box, located at the first set of doors of the Civic Square (closest to Cross Street)

Discover the convenience of the City of Welland’s Pre-Authorized Payment Plan. This voluntary plan offers you an easy, timesaving way to have your water/wastewater billing payment automatically deducted from your bank account. It means eliminating the chore of ensuring your payment reaches the Civic Square by the due date. The Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Application form is a pdf file that you can view and print using Adobe Acrobat Reader. The software is free and available for download.

How does the plan work?

There are no service charges or fees for enrolling in the Plan. All that is required is completing and submitting the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Application, along with a VOID cheque. Payments are deducted on the due date of your water/wastewater billings.

Equal monthly billing plan option

A minimum of 4 metered billings are required prior to enrolling in the Monthly Equal Billing plan option. Monthly Equal Billing payments may be adjusted throughout the year as required. Yearly recalculations will be required to reflect Yearly Water/Wastewater Rate Structure. Complete the Water/Wastewater Monthly Equal Billing Payment Plan application form and attach a VOID cheque to the requested form. NOTE: In order to participate in the Water/Wastewater Pre-Authorized Payment Plan program or Monthly Equal Billing Payment Plan, your water/wastewater account must be free of arrears.

What if my banking information changes or I want to cancel the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan?

The Plan is entirely flexible. If your banking information changes, or you want to cancel your Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, you must notify the Finance Department, in writing, at least 30 days prior to the effective date.

Questions?

For further information on the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, please contact the Finance Division at (905) 735-1700.

• WATER FIXED COST – $186.27/yr
• WATER CONSUMPTION RATE – $2.1646/m3
• WASTEWATER SERVICE CHARGE – $252.80/yr
• WASTEWATER TREATMENT RATE – $2.9867/m3
• WASTEWATER TREATMENT RATE – COMMERCIAL - $2.9867/m3

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Multi-residential properties with 2-6 units are billed as follows:

• Water fixed rate = number of units x Water Fixed Rate x 0.8625
• Wastewater fixed rate = number of units x Wastewater Fixed Rate x 0.8625
• Water consumption rate = consumption x $2.1646
• Wastewater treatment rate = consumption x $2.9867

Multi-residential properties with 7 units and greater are billed as follows:

• Water fixed rate = number of units x Water Fixed Rate x 0.70625
• Wastewater fixed rate = number of units x Wastewater Fixed Rate x 0.70625
• Water consumption rate = consumption x $2.1646
• Wastewater treatment rate = consumption x $2.9867

Commercial, Industrial and Institutional properties’ equivalent units for the fixed rates are determined by the meter size according to AWWA as follows:

• Meter Size: 5/8” & 3/4”  –  Equivalent Units: 1
• Meter Size: 1”   – Equivalent Units: 1.4
• Meter Size: 1 1/2”  – Equivalent Units: 1.8
• Meter Size: 2”  – Equivalent Units: 2.9
• Meter Size: 3”  – Equivalent Units: 11
• Meter Size: 4”  – Equivalent Units: 14
• Meter Size: 6”  – Equivalent Units: 21
• Meter Size: 8”  – Equivalent Units: 29
• Meter Size: 10”  – Equivalent Units: 40

Special Assistance Program -Water/Wastewater

The intention of this program is to assist residential property owners on a fixed income that experience difficulties with payment of their water/wastewater bill. It is recognized that there are many hardship cases in the community and this program is aimed at offering assistance to those customers who meet the established criteria.

How it works:
The Hope Centre will provide a copy of the "Application for Utilities form" accompanied with the "Niagara Region Community Services Emergency Energy Fund Application" to the applicant. Every applicant is asked to complete these forms and once completed, an extensive review of all the details on the application is performed by The Hope Centre.

Upon approval of the application by The Hope Centre, the City will apply the approved payment to the customer's Water/Wastewater bill.

Who to contact:
To apply for the Special Assistance Program, visit or call:

The Hope Centre
570 King St,
Welland, ON
L3B 3L3
(905)788-0744 ext. 221
www.thehopecentre.net

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High Water Leak Adjustment Program – Water/Wastewater

The intention of this program is to assist residential property owners who experience difficulties with payment of their water/wastewater bill due to high water leaks. This program is aimed at offering assistance to those customers who meet the following criteria:

• Request must be made in writing by the homeowner to the Utility Clerk no later than 60 days following the issuance of the high bill in question
• Consumption must exceed 2 times (200%) the average consumption
• Proof of repair must be provided prior to the adjustment to the City’s satisfaction
• The adjustment will only apply to the volumetric charges
• The adjustment will be credited to the homeowner’s Water and Wastewater account; no refunds will be provided
• Homeowner is only eligible for one (1) leak adjustment per two (2) years and no more than two (2) leak adjustments over a ten (10) year period
• Adjustments will be capped at a maximum of $1,000

How it works:

The City of Welland will provide a copy of the "High Water Leak Adjustment Application" to the applicant. Every applicant is asked to complete the form and return it along with proof that repairs have been performed or a receipt for parts if the repairs were made by the homeowner.

Upon approval, the City will apply the approved rebate to the customer's Water/Wastewater bill.

Please note: payment in the amount of the last regular billing must be made by the due date.

• High Water Leak Adjustment Application Form

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Low-Income Senior Water/Wastewater Rebate Program

The intention of this program is to address the impact of water/wastewater rates charged to the low consumption, low-income residential customers. The Low Income Senior Water/Wastewater Rebate is aimed at offering assistance to residential customers who meet the following criteria:

• Applicant (or spouse) is 65 years of age or older; and
• Applicant (or spouse) has been assessed as owner(s) of the residential property in the City of Welland for at least one (1) year preceding the application; and
• Applicant (or spouse) uses the property for which the application is being made for the purposes of a personal residence; and
• Applicant (or spouse) is in receipt of a monthly Guaranteed Income Supplement pursuant to Part II of the Old Age Security Act (Canada); and
• The annual water/wastewater consumption must be 100 m3 or less for the application year (prior year).

How it works:

Requests for a Low-Income Seniors Water/Wastewater Rebate must be completed on the standard form and submitted to the Finance Division each year by May 1 for the previous year’s rebate. The General Manager, Corporate Services, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer reserves the right to deny any application received after the deadline. A separate application must be completed each year. A copy of the Guaranteed Income Supplement Entitlement letter or a copy of the T4OAS Statement for the applicable year must be included with the application.

All applications will be reviewed by staff and approved by the General Manager, Corporate Services, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer. Upon approval, the City of Welland will apply the annual rebate of $420 to the applicant’s water/wastewater billing account.

• Low-Income Senior Water/Wastewater Rebate Application Form

Where is my meter? For most homes, the water meter is in the house where the main water line comes into the house. It is usually located right after the main shut off valve.

How does the City read my meter if it is in the house? The water meter is connected to the electronic touch pad (the rectangular box) on the outside of the home where the meter reader can obtain a reading.

Can I read my own meter? It is a good practice for you to read your meter and record the readings at the same time period to become familiar with the amount of consumption used in the household.

Mechanical Wheel Meter

Most properties have a mechanical wheel meter as shown above:

Water Flow Indicator is the red triangle that spins in circles as water is flowing through the water meter. The triangle should not move when water is not being used. If it is spinning (moving), when water is not in use, this means that water is flowing through the meter and indicates a possible water leak. (triangle shown with blue arrow in picture above)

Numeric Reading measured in Cubic Metres (m³) with the last number that is in black is representing a tenth of a cubic metre. (shown with red arrow in picture above)

Radio Frequency (RF) Meter

There are some properties in the City of Welland that have a Radio Frequency (RF) meter (shown above) installed instead of the Mechanical Wheel meter (shown above). The difference with the RF meter is that there is no touch pad to connect to as the reading is transmitted via radio frequency to the meter reader. Some RF meters have a black cover that needs to be opened to see the display.

In order to see the LCD display, it must be “woken up” with a strong flashlight. The flip lid meter heads have displays which are solar powered. The flashlight must be a strong light and held long enough to provide enough energy to display (cell phone or inexpensive flashlights are too weak).

Leak Indicator in top left corner of display. If the indicator is flashing – Intermittent leak which indicates that water has been used for at least 50 of the 96 (15 min intervals) during a 24 hour period. If the indicator is solid – Indicates water used for all 96 (15 min intervals) during a 24 hour period.

The LCD display has a forward arrow with a plus sign (+) flashing very slowly, and it will not stop flashing. What is the problem? This indicates a very slight flow. Watch the 9th digit in the LCD display and you will see it increment over time. A change in this digit represents 1/10th of a litre (or 100mL) of consumption change. This is equivalent to observing the movement of the “red triangle” on the traditional 6 wheel mechanical encoder water meters.

Call City of Welland staff at 905-735-1700 ext. 3000 to arrange for a meter inspection prior to the closing date. Please register a minimum of 48 hours in advance for the inspection.

A few facts to keep in mind:

• Inspections are conducted Monday – Friday from 7:30a.m. – 2:00p.m.
• Property Owner or representative must be present for inspection
• Cost of the Meter Inspection and Final Meter Reading is $75, payable by the vendor on the final billing

If the meter is found to be tampered, the vendor will be responsible for the following charges:

• $500 tampering fee for residential properties
• $1,000 tampering fee for commercial properties
• $5,000 tampering fee for industrial properties
• Plus cost of the meter replacement.

If you have purchased a home in Welland, please ensure that your lawyer has sent a copy of the property deed to finance@welland.ca. Once we received this information, and after the property closing date, your water account will be setup. Bills are issued quarterly, so you will receive your first water bill within 3 months of taking possession of the property. The new utility account number will be on your water/wastewater bill. Please refer to this account number when making payments on your utility account.

Water services are not interrupted during property transactions.

How do I check my toilet for leaks? If the red triangle on the meter is moving indicating a flow going through the meter, go to one of your toilets in the house (if you have more than one) and shut off the valve under the toilet and check the meter again to see if the triangle has stopped spinning. If it has, the toilet that you just turned off is pulling water through the meter. You may have to continue checking all toilets and faucets until you notice the triangle stops spinning.

What if I cannot view my meter easily? You can then put something in the back of the tank such as a dye tablet, food colouring, Kool-Aid, tea bags, anything that would cause the water in the tank to change to a noticeable colour. Wait 15 – 30 minutes without flushing and check the toilet bowl to see if the coloured water from the tank has come into the bowl. If you notice the coloured water in the bowl, this confirms that your toilet is leaking.

What can be wrong with my toilet? There are a number of reasons that your toilet is leaking but some of the most common problems can be…

• The flapper valve may have deteriorated or corroded.
• The flushing arm and lift chain are not working properly.
• The water level in the tank is too high and spills into the overflow tube
• The float rod, ballcock and/or float ball are corroded.

Indoor Water Savings Tips:

• Wash dishes or fruits and vegetables in a sink or container filled less than half
• Run only full loads in the dishwasher
• Keep drinking water in the fridge to avoid running the tap to get colder water
• Choose to do only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water-saving setting for smaller loads
• Shower for no longer that 10 minutes
• Install low-flow showerheads (recent models are more efficient and yet still provide a comfortable jet strength)
• Avoid running water continuously while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Install a new low-flow toilet that uses 6 litres or less per flush
• Test your toilet for leaks

Outdoor Water Saving Tips:

• In warm weather water lawns about 2.5cm/week (approximately 1 hour/day)
• Water lawn in early morning or late evening when evaporation rates are low
• Keep your lawn about 6cm long because taller grass holds water better
• Check outside hoses, faucets and sprinklers for leaks
• Consider purchasing a rain gauge or sprinkler timers
• Use rain barrels to catch run-off from eaves when it rains
• Only water plants when they need it
• Use a bucket and sponge to wash and rinse your car
• Sweep, don’t hose down your drive and walkways
• Use a bucket and squeegee to wash windows

Metric Conversion: 1 Cubic Metre (m³) is equal to 1,000 Litres or 220 Imperial Gallons (Cdn)

Did you know that one lawn sprinkler spraying 19 litres per minute uses 50% more water in just 1 hour than a combination of 10 toilet flushes, 2 five minute showers, 2 dishwasher loads and a full load of laundry!

Did you know that a tap leaking one drop of water per second wastes more than 25 litres of water per day!

A residential water meter cannot run faster or over-register more than the amount of water running through it. Water flows through the piston and transmits through a gearing system to the register, which records the flow in cubic metres. Under-registering is usually what occurs as a meter ages.

Returned Payment Fee	$40.00
Water Certificates	$60.00
Combined Tax & Water Certificate	$100.00
Water Status - Verbal Request	$35.00
New Water Accounts	$35.00
Water Payment Confirmation Letter per year	$25.00
Water - Re-print of bill	$10.00
Water Meter Inspection Fee (ownership changes – vendor to pay on final billing)	$75.00
Failure to be ready/No show Water Meter appointment	$75.00
Refund Credit Balance	$25.00 1st refund is free
Transfer Incorrect Payments	$25.00 1st transfer is free
Water Meter Test Fee (Refundable if found that initial read was incorrect)	$150.00
Special Meter Reads	$50.00
Water Shut-Off or disconnect charges: During working hours	$90.00
Water Shut-Off or disconnect charges: After hours/Saturday/Sunday/Holiday	$235.00
Water - reconnect charges - During working hours	$90.00
Water - reconnect charges - After hours/Saturday/Sunday/Holiday	$235.00