Water

The Woodstock Drinking Water Distribution System is owned by Oxford County and operated by the City of Woodstock Engineering and Public Works Departments. Together, we are committed to the objectives outlined below in the Oxford County Drinking Water Quality Management Policy:

• Providing its customers with safe, potable drinking water in the interest of protecting public health.
• Providing drinking water that consistently meets or exceeds regulatory requirements.
• Participating in appropriate research of Best Management Practices to enhance our understanding of drinking water quality issues and optimize performance.
• Promoting sound relationships with our customers, stakeholders, regulators and employees and integrating their needs and expectations into our planning.
• As a minimum, meeting the requirements of all applicable legislation and regulations.

Oxford County Public Works will implement and maintain a Drinking Water Quality Management System as outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Environment & Climate Change. All managers and employees involved in the supply of drinking water are responsible for understanding, implementing, maintaining and continually improving the Drinking Water Quality Management System.

Residential Outside Water Use

Whether your watering your lawns and gardens, washing your vehicle(s) or power washing your deck, driveway or house, the County of Oxford external water use bylaw has limited the use of municipal water outside only to 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as follows:

Even numbered calendar days: Addresses ending with even numbers (0, 2, 4. 6, 8) may use water on calendar days ending in even numbers.

Odd numbered calendar days: Addresses ending with odd numbers (1, 3. 5. 7, 9) may use water on calendar days ending in odd numbers.

Industrial and Commercial Outside Water Use

The County of Oxford external water use bylaw limits the water use only to 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. using the same even or odd numbered addresses to even or odd calendar days.

Water Exemption Permit

Residents may apply for an exemption certificate for such things as fund raising activities, swimming pool fills, new sod and seed, automatic sprinklers and outside renovations. Enquiries may be made to the Engineering Office at 944 James Street or by calling 519-539-2382 ext. 3104 or 3102 during regular office hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A curb stop is a valve which is installed to turn water services on and off to a building. It is located either on your lawn or driveway. The curb stop will raise or lower due to temperature changes. If you need the curb stop lowered or raised, please contact the Water Department at 519-539-2382 ext. 3120.

In addition, if you notice a leaking water pipe in your home, please call the Water Department and we will turn the valve off at the curb. You may be required to call a plumber for further assistance.

The County of Oxford has four bulk water dispensing stations. They are located at:

• Sutherland Park Water Treatment Facility - 651 Sutherland Dr. in Woodstock
• Pitcher Street Water Treatment Facility - 6 Pitcher St. in Norwich
• Canterbury Street Water Treatment Facility - 280 Harris St. in Ingersoll and 
• Hendershot Street Water Distribution Shop - 18 Hendershot St. in Tavistock

The discharge pipe at each location is equipped with a 75mm camlock hose connection. Only top-filling tanks are permitted and the hose must be clean and dedicated to water use only.

You will need to obtain a key fob from Oxford County, not from the City. Please call Oxford County Customer Service at 519-539-9800 and dial zero for assistance. More information, such as pre-pay accounts and water rates, may be found on the County's website.

In extremely cold temperatures, it is possible for poorly insulated or shallow water services to freeze. You may notice this through a drop in water pressure or there may be no water at all. It is also possible for the water meter itself to freeze, which can damage the meter.

If you feel there is a risk of your water service freezing, running a water tap continuously (cold water stream of approximately 1/4 inch thickness) may help prevent freezing. Please note this will increase your water usage effecting your water bill. The homeowner is responsible for water usage charges.

What do I do if I think my water service is frozen?

Internal Issue

First you need to determine if it is your indoor plumbing that has frozen by running different cold water taps throughout your house. If more than one has running water while other don't, the issue is likely internal and you will need to contact a licensed plumber for assistance.

External Issue

If you find that all water service to your home has stopped, or you aren't sure where the problem is, contact the City of Woodstock (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at 519-539-2382 ext. 3120 or 3105 or after-hours at 519-539-2382 ext. 3120.

The City will work with you to determine where the cause of the frozen service is located. Should we experience a high volume of calls, investigations may be delayed a few days. We ask for your patience as we respond to calls during extreme weather events.

If you are a tenant, your landlord must contact the City about issues with water services. Please contact your landlord if you are having problems with frozen water service.

Precautions

• Don't use a torch with an open flame to thaw pipes, as this is a fire hazard.
• Ensure you know the location of your master water shut-off valve. The frozen pipe may be broken and when the water in it thaws, it will leak. If the pipe is broken, you will need to shut off the water in your house until the pipe is repaired.

Steps to thaw a frozen pipe

• If you have a history of frozen pipes or your water is currently frozen, turn on a tap in the basement, preferably the cold water faucet in the laundry room.
• Keep the pipes warm by opening basement, cellar or cupboard doors. Insulate the pipes and take action to prevent freezing in the future years. If possible and can be done safely, heat the area.
• Watch for leaks where the pipe froze. Expanding ice may have cracked or broke your pipe. You can use your water meter to watch for household leaks.

Who is responsible for water service lines?

It is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and/or replace the portion of the water service located within the building and between the building and the property line. The City is responsible for the service located between the property line and the watermain. If freezing occurs on the private side of the property line, the City may charge the homeowner for the cost to restore water service.

Why has my water service frozen?

Most water services are buried deeply for protection against frost. Older water service lines were historically installed at a shallow depth by today's standards. Extremely cold temperatures, or fluctuations between cold and warm temperatures can sometimes push frost to a depth that will freeze water services. Extreme cold temperatures can also cause internal freezing where service would not normally be interrupted.

How can I reduce the risk of frozen water service pipes?

The majority of calls received for frozen water pipes and water meters are a result of inadequate heating and cold air drafts where piping is located in the home.

• Insulate pipes most susceptible to freezing. (e.g. near outside walls, crawl spaces and attics)
• Insulate all exposed outside water pipes with specially designed foam pipe covers available at most building supply and home improvement stores.
• Open kitchen, bathroom and laundry cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Take care to remove household cleaners and other items that could harm children or pets when doors are open.
• Seal air leaks in your home and garage and keep garage doors closed if there is a water supply line in the garage.
• Disconnect and drain all outdoor faucets.
• If you will be away, you can shut off the main service valve in your basement and open all taps to drain the water out of your plumbing lines to prevent them from freezing. Have someone check your home regularly.

• Commercial water customers need to prepare for cold nights as well. Protect water lines by wrapping all lines exposed to cold temperatures.

How can I correct frozen pipe problems permanently?

If your water service line has frozen in the past, and the frozen portion was located on your property, the best solution is to lower your service line to a depth that cannot be penetrated by frost. The City requires new service lines to be buried at a depth of 1.5m or 5ft as a minimum. Property owners can contact the City for more information.