Lead Replacement Program

The works listed below and those considered at the discretion of infrastructure and development services are eligible for submission of a grant request:

• Excavation, including saw cutting where necessary.
• Removal/abandonment of the lead water service pipe from the curb stop at the property line to the building control shut-off valve.
• Removal/abandonment of shared water service from the curb stop at the property line to the building control shut-off valve. In the case of a shared water service, upon application approval, each property owner is entitled to recover eligible costs up to the maximum.
• Supply and installation costs of a new water service pipe from the curb stop at the property line to each house served. Water service pipes for dwellings will be copper with a minimum three-quarter inch size or as required by the Ontario Building Code. For buildings other than houses, copper pipe is used unless the applicant verifies the pipe is not necessary to meet electrical grounding requirements.
• Installation costs will include pipe bedding, backfill, compaction, labour, and equipment, where necessary to complete the work.
• The program will include reasonable restoration costs, including concrete foundation and floor repair, interior finishes, sodding/seeding, porch/deck relocation, asphalt/concrete driveway, and sidewalk reinstatement.
• The program will not include restoration costs for landscaping, flowerbeds, tree replacement, excessive driveway repair, new porches, new sidewalks, or new decks.

1. Contact infrastructure and development services to discuss the program with the LRP project coordinator. They will review your situation and advise if you may be eligible for the LRP program.
2. If it is determined that you are eligible, the application form must be completed and submitted. The project coordinator will arrange a time to view your property with City inspectors and public works staff.
3. At the pre-work site inspection, City representatives will review the general installation and advise what work is eligible for funding under the program. The form may list the eligible works for the contractor’s use to help itemize costs. In addition, a sketch may be prepared to form the basis of the work.
4. You need to obtain quotations from contractors you are prepared to hire. It is your responsibility to find a suitable contractor. Only works identified in the pre-work inspection are eligible; the contractor must not quote on restoration items. You must submit your selected quote to the project coordinator for review.
5. The program only covers eligible costs to a maximum of $1,500/$2,000. If total eligible costs are less than the maximum, only eligible costs will be funded. If total eligible costs are more than the maximum, only $1,500/$2,000 will be funded, and you must fund the difference.
6. Program funding can be increased to a maximum of $2,000, but only where the lowest quotation comes in at more than $3,000.
7. In instances where the owner does not provide two competitive bids, the program will only fund $750. Such instances include:
   1. Using a certain contractor without obtaining two quotes.
   2. Performing the work themselves.
   3. During an emergency water service repair without two quotes, and the contractor discovered a lead pipe.
   4. Learning about the program after work is already complete and applying for funding (refer to the section on retroactivity of the program).
8. Once you and the project coordinator establish the most acceptable approach and costs, permission is given to proceed, but only after the appropriate plumbing permit has been issued.
9. The municipality will not supervise or be responsible for the work other than to inspect the plumbing and related works to ensure that they are installed in accordance with the Building Code. You will oversee the work and are responsible for its satisfactory completion. The project coordinator and building/plumbing inspectors are available for consultation on technical concerns.
10. The City may install new water laterals to your property line before private property work begins. The location of laterals is discussed with you at the pre-work site inspection, and final decisions lie with the City.
11. The property owner and contractor are responsible for electrical grounding. As the electrical main service ground often utilizes the building water service, installation/replacement/repair of any water service must conform with the requirements of the Electrical Safety Code with respect to grounding. You can contact the Electrical Safety Authority at 1-877-372-7233 concerning this matter.
12. Existing water service must be adequately abandoned by permanent capping, not by crimping the pipe. Any abandonment inside the building must be completed where the pipe enters.
13. Required inspections include pre-work and final. It is the responsibility of you or your contractor to schedule the inspections with the City in advance of the intention to backfill or cover.
14. A water meter must be installed in the correct location at the completion of the work to qualify for the program. If a water meter does not exist, one must be installed by the City’s water meter department. If a water meter does exist, and the new water service enters the building at a different location, the meter may need to be relocated in conjunction with the new water service. It is the contractor’s responsibility to relocate an existing water meter to City standards, which may require special fittings from the City and final approval from the water meter department before funding approval.
15. Once all of the program work is finished, and you are content that your contractor has completed everything to your satisfaction, you must submit the contractor’s final invoice (and other relevant documentation if requested) to the project coordinator. Please note that you must sign the release portion of the application form before your grant will be processed, so be sure you read it carefully in advance of proceeding with the program.
16. This information is reviewed to ensure that only costs associated with the eligible works are funded. A grant will then be issued to you in the form of payment for all costs deemed eligible to a maximum of $1,500/$2,000 per property. The goal is to evaluate these forms and issue cheques in a timely manner. You will then pay the contractor.

A grant will not exceed $1,500/$2,000 per property/water service pipe. A grant is only awarded for the amount outlined on the application form and the documentation, such as bills for the contractor’s work, labour, and materials used.

Retroactive program funding could be granted if these conditions are met:

1. The owner applies for the program.
2. The owner verifies, and City inspectors confirm, the existing pipe being replaced is lead or a split service.
3. A plumbing permit is issued, and inspections conforming with the Ontario Building Code are performed.
4. Only a $750 grant is provided unless the owner produces two competitive bids dated before work began.

Weather conditions at the time of application may delay the work to be completed by City staff on the City-owned side of the water service to a future date.

Property owners are responsible for coordinating all work necessary to install a new water meter or relocate an existing water meter. This includes coordinating with a neighbour in the case of split services and public works in the case of a new or replacement city lateral. Any failure to coordinate could result in the loss of water supply to the house.

• preliminary contact with the project coordinator
• application submitted
• pre-work inspection with City representatives on-site
• search out prospective contractors
• obtain and submit two quotations on eligible works
• receive permission to proceed under the program
• discuss and agree on work with a contractor
• coordinate work with neighbours for shared water service
• coordinate work with public works for the new City lateral (City lateral may be required to be installed first)
• coordinate new water meter installation with the City’s water meter division (if necessary)
• coordinate relocation of the existing water meter by your contractor (required if the new water service enters the building from a different location)
• obtain plumbing permit
• schedule inspections with the City at least one day before backfilling new water service
• begin work
• do not backfill until inspections are completed
• work completed
• submit a final invoice for grant processing
• grant awarded to the property owner
• payment to the contractor by the property owner