Water Rate Study
The Water and Wastewater Rate Study (October 2024) outlines options for the City’s water and wastewater fees and provides the anticipated costs of providing municipal water and wastewater services in Quinte West over the next 10 years. The different options highlight how changes to the level of service provided impact the revenue required to fund those services.
Timing and next steps
- Aug. 14, 2024 – Initial Water and Wastewater Rate Study presented to Council
- Sept. 4, 2024 – Additional options were provided to council and a public meeting was held
- Oct. 16, 2024 – Updated Water and Wastewater Rate Study was brought to council and Option 1 was approved
- Oct. 30, 2024 – City Council adopted the changes to the City’s water and wastewater rates through Option 1 in the Water and Wastewater Rate Study (October 2024). The new rates will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
The City has undertaken the 2021 Water and Wastewater Master Plan, the 2022 Asset Management Plan, and the 2024 Development Charge Background Study that all have impacts on the delivery of municipal water and sewer services in Quinte West. The 2024 Water and Wastewater Rate Study outlines changes to the City’s water and wastewater fees in response to these impacts.
Account changes and fees:
To initiate a water/sewer account in the City of Quinte West, please complete the following application form.
Please note that if your property is being occupied by a tenant who is responsible for the water/sewer bill, separate applications must be completed by both the owner and the tenant.
Click here to sign up for a new account
Please email us at [email protected] or call us at 613-392-2841 ext. 4909 if you have questions or need assistance
*Fees apply for new account setup. See below for details.
If you need to change your billing address, please complete the following application form.
Please note that by completing this form, you are authorizing the municipality of Quinte West to change your mailing address on all active City accounts, including:
- Tax Roll
- Utility Accounts
- Dog Licence
Any accounts which should not be included must be specified in the application form.
Click here to change the address
If you are a property owner and have sold or rented your property, or are a tenant who is moving out of your current residence, please complete the following form to close your account.
Click here to close an account
Water certificates provide information regarding outstanding balances on water accounts. They are often requested during the sale or purchase of a property. The cost is $27.50 per certificate.
Click here to request water certificate
Note that certificates do not include the account balance after the final meter read. Verbal water account confirmation of all certificates is provided for three months from the date of the issue. After that time, another certificate must be requested. To pre-pay for certificates, contact 613-392-2841 ext. 4909 or [email protected].
Service Type | Fee |
Change in occupancy (new account set up) | $12 |
Water certificate | $27.50 |
Statement of account | $10 |
To add, remove, or modify ebilling options on your account please complete the following form.
Receiving your bill:
Water billing FAQ
The City of Quinte West has implemented a change for water bills for all Quinte West residents from 60 days to 30 days. Find out answers to the most common questions below.
Customers registered for pre-authorized bill payments will continue to have bill payments automatically withdrawn on each monthly bill due date.
Following customer feedback and comparison with other municipalities, council decided to issue bills monthly and operate on a shorter billing cycle to leave less room for error. This will provide consistent billing cycles for all residents and aid with financial planning.
You will now receive a bill at the beginning of each month that will be due the last business day of the month you receive the bill.
Depending on your current billing cycle, your first 30-day water/wastewater bill will be issued in early February or early March 2024.
Base charges are charged per month per billable unit in accordance with the Quinte West Municipal Enterprise Consolidated Fee By-Law.
Any new account set up on or after March 1, 2024 will be given the option of receiving their bills via email or printed and mailed by Canada Post. If a customer chooses to receive their bill in paper format, a $1.00 charge will be added to each bill issue. There is no charge for customers who have requested to receive their bill via email.
All bills will be due the last business day of the month in which the bill is issued.
If you have further questions, please contact [email protected] or call 613-392-2841 Ext: 4909.
Payment methods and collection:
For questions about your account, call us Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 613-392-2841 ext. 4909. You can email us at any time at [email protected].
When paying online or by phone through your bank, we recommend paying at least three business days before the due date. Most banks can schedule payments ahead of time.
The payee’s name can vary depending on the bank. The most common are “Quinte West Water,” “Quinte West Waterworks,” and “Quinte West Utilities.”
Use your 9-digit or 11-digit water account number as the account number. Do not leave any spaces or decimal points between the numbers. Contact your bank for assistance.
Using this plan, we automatically withdraw the amount of your water bill from your bank account on the due date indicated on the invoice.
Click here to fill out the online pre-authorization payment application form
Click here to CANCEL your pre-authorized payment plan
Click here to MODIFY your pre-authorized payment plan
Submit completed forms and void cheque:
- In-person at the counter located on the second floor at city hall
- By email to [email protected]
- By mail to:
City of Quinte West
7 Creswell Dr.
PO Box 490
Trenton, ON K8V 5R6
To cancel a pre-authorized payment or change your banking information, please notify the City of Quinte West in writing to the address listed above a financial institution’s changes, branch, or account. If you are changing ownership or payment method and need to cancel these pre-authorized payment arrangements, you must notify within 21 days.
Write your water account number on the cheque (payable to the City of Quinte West), and include the bottom portion of your invoice and send to:
City of Quinte West
7 Creswell Dr.
PO Box 490
Trenton, ON K8V 5R6
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a receipt. Do not send cash.
During business hours: visit the revenue services counter at city hall or the customer service counter at the Frankford municipal office. Cash, cheque and debit are accepted. Please bring your entire bill with you.
After hours: drop off payment in the secure deposit box outside the city hall or the Frankford municipal office. Only cheques payable to the City of Quinte West are accepted. Please do not use cash. Other tips if paying by this method:
- Write your account number on the back of the cheque.
- Include the payment stub from your bill
- Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a receipt.
Rates and service fees:
Quinte West Service Area (Residential / Commercial) | 2024 Fee | 2025 Fee | 2026 Fee | 2027 Fee |
Water (per cubic metre) | $1.37 | $1.60 | $1.84 | $2.08 |
Sewer / Wastewater (per cubic metre) | $2.20 | $2.38 | $2.52 | $2.67 |
Water (per 100 cubic feet) | $3.88 | $4.53 | $5.21 | $5.89 |
Sewer / Wastewater (per 100 cubic feet) | $6.23 | $6.74 | $7.14 | $7.56 |
Water Monthly Base Charge (Based on a ⅝” and ¾” meter) | $25 | $28 | $30 | $31 |
Sewer / Wastewater Monthly Base Charge (Based on a ⅝” and ¾” meter) | $39 | $40 | $41 | $42 |
Tenant Deposits (residential water only) | $125 | $125 | $125 | $125 |
Tenant Deposits (residential water/sewer) | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 |
*Note:
- Deposits are charged on the first bill, and kept on file until the customer closes the account. Deposits are then applied to the final bill and, if applicable, the surplus is returned to the tenant without interest.
- Base charges for commercial accounts will be adjusted by the applicable monthly base change factor. These factors can be found in City Bylaw 24-131.
Young’s Cove / Prince Edward Estates (Residential) | 2023 Fee | 2024 Fee |
Water (per cubic metre) | $1.34 | $1.37 |
Sewer / Wastewater (per cubic metre) | $2.10 | $2.20 |
Water Monthly Base Charge (Based on a ⅝” and ¾” meter) | $25 | $25 |
Sewer / Wastewater Monthly Base Charge (Based on a ⅝” and ¾” meter) | $91 | $91 |
Tenant Deposits (residential water only) | $125 | $125 |
Tenant Deposits (residential water/sewer) | $ 250 | $ 250 |
*Note: Deposits are charged on the first bill, and kept on file until the customer closes the account. Deposits are then applied to the final bill and, if applicable, the surplus is returned to the tenant without interest.7
- Trenton – 20 Chester Rd., Trenton ON
- Frankford / Batawa – 65 Parry Dr., Batawa, ON
- Bayside – 1 Aikins Rd., Quinte West ON
2024 Fee | 2025 Fee | 2026 Fee | 2027 Fee | |
Key/Card Deposit (one-time fee) Note: Deposits are charged on the first bill and refunded when the customer returns the key/card. | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 |
Bulk water monthly base charge | $25 | $28 | $30 | $31 |
Bulk water (per cubic metre) | $2.85 | $2.90 | $2.95 | $3.00 |
Bulk septage monthly base charge | $39 | $40 | $41 | $42 |
Bulk septage disposal (cubic meter) | $50 | $52.25 | $54.50 | $56.75 |
The City of Quinte West has two coin-operated bulk water stations available for residents.
- Trenton – 20 Chester Rd., Trenton ON
- Frankford / Batawa – 65 Parry Dr., Batawa ON
Note that the dispensing units have one-inch camlock connections. A one-inch connection hose is required with a one-inch female camlock connector. Due to public health concerns, customers must provide their hose to obtain water from the coin-operated bulk water stations.
2024 Fee | 2025 Fee | 2026 Fee | 2027 Fee | |
Bulk water (per 1000 litres) Note: minimum of $1.00 to start fill. Coin-operated stations accept toonies ($2), loonies ($1) and quarters ($0.25). | $ 2.85 | $ 2.90 | $ 2.95 | $ 3.00 |
2024 Fee | |
Contractor’s residential flat rate (per month) | $ 25 |
Water main tap and inspection fee for ¾” or 1” service | $ 250 |
Water main tap and inspection fee for 1½” to 2” service | $ 250 |
Water main tap and inspection fee for 4” to 12” service | $ 500 |
Inspection only | $ 25 |
Supply and installation of a standard meter (⅝” or ¾”) *Note: Meter remains the property of the City | $ 250 |
Supply and installation of all other meters (cost to purchase by the City plus cost of installation) *Note: Meter remains the property of the City | TBD |
Reconnection after the cut-off for non-payment | $ 20 |
Turn the water off/on for repairs (per trip) | $ 30 |
Turn the water off/on for repairs (overtime rate within three hours) | $ 100 |
Turn the water off/on to winterize (per trip) | $ 30 |
Turn the water off/on to winterize (overtime rate) | $ 100 |
Turn the water off/on for demolition | No charge |
Change frozen/broken water meter during regular hours (including new meter and account information change) | $ 220 |
Change frozen/defective water meter during overtime hours (including new meter and account information change) | $ 280 |
New account initiation (charged to the new customer) | $ 12 |
Revert from tenant to existing owner | No charge |
For a full list of utility service fees, view the fees and charges bylaw.
Higher Than Normal Water Bill
The most common cause of higher than normal water bills is a leaking toilet. There are two ways to test to see if your toilet is leaking:
- Remove your toilet tank lid and drop a dye tab (available at City Hall or the Frankford Municipal Office) into the tank. Wait 15-30 minutes and look in the toilet bowl. If any of the color has seeped in, you have a toilet leak. If you do not have any dye tabs, you can use a few drops of food coloring instead.
- Remove your toilet tank lid and check the overflow tube. If water is flowing into the tube when the tank is full, you need to adjust the float.
Other common causes of leaks:
- Leaking taps
- Leaking irrigation systems
- Leaking appliances (washing machine, ice maker)
- Malfunctioning hot water tanks
- Malfunctioning water softeners
Other causes of higher water usage include:
- Filling or topping up swimming pools or hot tubs
- Watering grass and/or gardens frequently
- Running sprinklers
- Watering new sod
- Increase in number of people in the home (more laundry, toilet flushing)
- Power washing
- Washing vehicles
If you have found a leak and repaired it, you may be eligible for a one time adjustment to your bill. To determine eligibility and submit a request, please complete this form: Leak Adjustment Request Form
High water bill adjustment:
The high water bill adjustment policy provides financial relief to residential customers with an abnormally high water bill. These bills occur when a property has plumbing leaks in toilets, faucets and/or fixtures. Before we can make adjustments to the account, we recommend checking your inside meter to see if the dial is continually turning, as this will turn with a constant flow of water. You can also test for leaks using tablets that are available by picking them up from the revenue services counter located on the first floor of city hall or Frankford municipal office.
If a leak is confirmed, eligible residents can have one adjustment to one bill per calendar year on a residential account. Modifications will be applied to one invoice only.
In accordance with our water/sewer policy:
- Unaccountably large variances in consumption are reviewed by municipal staff and may result in the meter being re-read and or a letter being sent to the customer advising of a possible leak/broken meter.
- The municipality may allow for one adjustment to one bill per calendar year on a residential account for an eligible leak.
- For adjustment requests to be considered, customers must submit the following before the bill’s due date is indicated.
- Receipts for repair if applicable
- A written request for adjustment
- Any other documents requested by municipal staff.
For questions, call us Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 613-392-2841 ext. 4909. You can email us at any time at [email protected].