Wastewater

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Sanitary Sewers

Our sanitary sewer systems delivers wastewater from homes to the county's treatment plant before being safely returned to the environment.

Toilets and sinks are not garbage cans. Drains are designed for wastewater and toilet paper only. Flushing the wrong items down your toilet and sink can block sewer pipes and may cause flooding at your home. It is also important not to flush medicines down your toilet and sink.

Water / Wastewater Billing

ERTH Solutions has been contracted to oversee and set up billing for water and wastewater services in Woodstock.

Water/Wastewater Rates

Water and wastewater rates are set by the County of Oxford. To find out more information about these rates, bylaws and how to calculate your rate visit the County's website.

Setting Up Your Billing Account

ERTH Solutions offers several convenient ways to pay for your water and wastewater bill. Payment options include:

In-person payment dropped off at your bank (in-person payments will not be accepted at Woodstock Hydro or ERTH Solutions offices)
Cheque (through Canada Post) and mailed to the address on your bill
Pre-authorized payment (PAP) by enrolling using the on-line form
Telephone or on-line banking. Most financial institutions accept payments

Billing or Account Issues

For high water bills or changes required to your billing account please contact ERTH Solutions by phone at 1-877-485-6050 or by email.

Blocked Sanitary Sewers

Woodstock residences are responsible for the cost to clear and repair any blockages in their lateral sewers running from their property all the way to the city's main sewer in the street. If you experience a blocked sewer or sewer back up, you will need to contact a plumber to assist in clearing the blockage.

If your plumber is not able to clear the blockage on the first attempt, they must try again until the blockage is cleared. The City does not clear blocked sewers lines. Only after the plumber has made all possible attempts to clear the blocked sewer, will the City inspect the main sewer line on the street to see if there is a blockage in the sanitary line in the street. You may contact the engineering office at 519-539-2382 ext. 3104 or 3102 to discuss further and make any necessary arrangements.

More often than not, the blockage is between the house and the street, which is the residents responsibility for contacting a plumber to clear the blockage.

Responsibility Chart for Sanitary Sewer Lateral Conditions
Descriptions	Payment for Private Investigation / Plumber ^₍₁₎	Payment for Camera Work	Payment for Construction
Black Pipe on City Property	City - 100% Plumber's Bill	City	City
Black Pipe on Private Property	Property Owner	City	Property Owner
Natural Obstruction on City Property or Private Property	Property Owner	Property Owner	Property Owner
Tree on Private Property & Roots on City Property	Property Owner	Property Owner	Property Owner
Tree & Roots on Private Property	Property Owner	Property Owner	Property Owner
Tree on City Property or on Property Line & Roots on City Property	City - Plumber's Bill ⁽²⁾	City	City
Tree on City Property or on Property Line & Roots on Private Property	City - Plumber's Bill ⁽³⁾	City	Property Owner

(1) In each case the owner must call and pay the plumber for the investigation. The City will reimburse the owner appropriately upon submission of a copy of the paid plumber's invoice.

(2) The City will pay a maximum of $175 (taxes included) towards the paid plumber's bill once every three (3) years.

(3) The City will pay half the paid plumber's bill up to a maximum of $87.50 (taxes included) once every three (3) years.

General Information

Sanitary Sewer Rebate Program

The Sanitary Sewer Lateral Conditions Responsibility Chart identifies who is responsible for various types of conditions to the sewer lateral. The fees are at the discretion of the Works Supervisor.

The owner must call a plumber to investigate and clear the blockage. The City will reimburse the owner appropriately upon the submission of a copy of the paid plumbers invoice. See the responsibility chart above for details.

City Tree Roots

If a sewer blockage is caused by roots from a City tree, your plumber must contact us to inspect the site to confirm if tree roots are the cause of the blockage. If it is determined that City tree roots are the cause, you may be eligible for a rebate of the amount of your invoice up to $175, or half of the plumber's paid invoice, depending on where the tree and roots are found. We must be notified and inspect the site when roots are being removed. See responsibility chart link above for more information.

Private Tree Roots

If a sewer blockage is caused by roots from a private tree, the owner will not be eligible for any rebates.

Tips on Avoiding Blocked Sewers

Using common sense will reduce the risk of sewage backfills and cost repairs.

Don't pour grease down the toilet or any sink. Eventually, this liquid hardens around the pipe restricting water flow and increasing the chances for a blockage. Instead, dispose cooking grease into an old coffee can or milk carton and dispose of it in your household garbage.
Don't flush inappropriate items such as paper towels, disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, sanitary wipes, feminine hygiene products, rubber items, small toys, etc. These items do not breakdown and will eventually lead to the whole line being blocked as well as contaminating our local rivers and streams.
Clear off you dinner plate first before rinsing it. Larger food particles will collect in the drain over time if there is not enough water flow to carry them away.
Use a drain grate to help catch any small items that may eventually lead to a blockage. (i.e., hair, small toys, small lids, etc.)

Do Not Flush Paper Towels and Wipes!

Flushing paper towel and wipes down the toilet can cost a resident hundreds of dollars to unblock or repair their sanitary service. It is even more costly to the Municipality as it causes breakages in critical machinery. Even ”flushable” wipes can cause problems!

Excavating a Sewer Lateral

In the case of excavation of the sewer lateral, you or your contractor must expose the lateral sewer at the property line and contact us immediately to confirm the cause of the problem. Contractors or homeowners are not permitted to excavate within the city road allowance without receiving prior approval. Contact our Engineering Technologist for information on permits required if excavating on the city right-of-way either by email or phone at 519-539-2382 ext. 3114.

Curb Cut Excavation Permit Application Form

If the lateral is collapsed or broken on the road allowance and is confirmed by an authorized City official, we will cover the total cost of the repair within the road allowance.

Note that just because a blockage is created on City property does not guarantee that we will cover the cost to resolve the problem. An authorized City official will determine who is responsible for the bill.

Recreational Vehicles (RV) Wastewater Drop-off

Woodstock's Waste Water Treatment Plant, which is managed by the County of Oxford, is located at 195 Admiral St. You must call ahead or make arrangements, as staff may have the gate closed when working inside the facility. Please call 519-537-8531. Facility hours are Mondays to Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. There is no charge for this service.

Documents

Watermain Specifications Design and Guidelines - follow the link to the Oxford County website to view or download this document.

For information on the Municipal Class EA - Upstream Northeast Trunk Sewer Upgrades and the Class EA Project File Report follow the link to the Oxford County's website.