Water & Sewer Service Connection Repair Policy

Municipality of Louise, Manitoba

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 7d3db69a7e49 · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

P:\Municipality of Louise\Policies\Policies\Water & Sewer Service Connection Repair Policy.docx MUNICIPALITY OF LOUISE POLICY & PROCEDURES MANUAL Reference Classification Utility Policy Subject Pages Water & Sewer Service Connection Policy 1 Authority Effective Date Council 9 April 2025 Approved Index Res 2025-04.10 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to clarify who is responsible for water line and sewer line installations, repairs or replacement in the LUD of Clearwater, LUD of Crystal City and LUD of Pilot Mound. POLICY STATEMENT It is the policy of Council to ensure that utility installations, repairs and replacements meet satisfactory requirements as determined by Municipality of Louise. POLICY EFFECTIVE DATE & REIMBURSEMENT POLICY This policy is effective immediately as per the approved 'Effective Date' noted above. Any repair expenses incurred by residents prior to this date will not be eligible for reimbursement. Part 1 - WATER LINE 1) Responsibilities of Property Owners: LUD of Clearwater- The property owner is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the water service line from the building to the property line. The Municipality owns the line and is responsible for maintenance and repair of the water service line from the property line to the main water line. LUD of Pilot Mound - The property owner is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the water service line on their property, both up to and from the water meter and from the building to the curb stop (shut off valve). The Municipality owns the water meter, the curb stops and the line from the curb stop to the main water line. For additional clauses, please refer to the current active Pilot Mound Utility Bylaw. These clauses shall take precedence. P:\Municipality of Louise\Policies\Policies\Water & Sewer Service Connection Repair Policy.docx 2) New Water Service Line Installation: The cost of installing the new water service line and the hiring of a qualified Tradesperson to perform the work is the responsibility of the property owner. Property owner must fill in, submit, and follow the guidelines as set out in the 'Application for Connection to Municipal Utility (water and/or sewer)'. 3) Repairing Water Service Lines: a) If the water service line on private property has been damaged due to any reason including, but not limited to, construction problems, freezing, leak, break, tear, rupture and/or collapse, the responsibility to hire a qualified Tradesperson and to cover all repair cost rests entirely with the property owner. b) If water service line problem is on Municipal property including the curb stop (water shut off valve), the Municipality will be responsible to cover the cost of the repairs to the water service line. c) For the LUD of Pilot Mound, if the 'Disclaimer for Water Shut Off' application was not filled out or if guidelines as set out in the disclaimer were not adhered to by the property owner, or a person renting or leasing the property, the Municipality will not be responsible for any costs associated with damage caused or responsible for any repair costs. d) If a property owner is found to be negligent in causing damages or issues to the water service line, they may be responsible for covering some or all of the repair costs. Negligence may include, but is not limited to, improper use, unauthorized modifications, failure to take due diligence to locate lines prior to construction or excavation or failure to maintain the service line. The determination of negligence and the associated cost responsibility will be made by Council based on available evidence. The Municipality may invoice the property owner for the repair work, with payment due and payable within 30 days. Failure to pay on time will result in the outstanding invoice being applied to the land's real property taxes in accordance with Section 252(2) of the Municipal Act. Part 3 - SEWER LINE 1) Responsibility of Property Owner a) The property owner is responsible for the sewer line from their building to the Municipal sewer main. This includes the part of the sewer line that is under the Municipality's property and includes all hardware to connect to the Municipal sewer main. 2) New Sewer Line Connection Installation a) The cost of installing a new sewer line and the hiring of a qualified sewer Tradesperson to perform the work is the responsibility of the property owner. The property owner must fill in, submit and follow the guidelines set out in the 'Application for Connection to Municipal Utility (water and/or sewer)'. 3) Sewer backup and/or drainage issues a) The property owner is responsible to arrange, as required, and pay for a qualified sewer Tradesperson to clean the portion of the sewer line they are responsible for. P:\Municipality of Louise\Policies\Policies\Water & Sewer Service Connection Repair Policy.docx b) The Municipality is responsible to clean sewer mains on a rotational basis as determined by the Municipality and is not responsible for any damage caused to private property as a result of this process. 4) Repairing the sewer line a) If the sewer line damage (including settling of ground around sewer line/sewer line connection) is within the property owner's responsibility, the property owner is to arrange and pay for a qualified sewer Tradesperson. The Tradesperson is responsible to obtain necessary approvals, utility clearances, Call Before you Dig permits, etc. and return the affected area back to satisfactory condition as determined by Council. i) When a sewer line repair requires pavement to be disturbed, the property owner is responsible for covering the cost of restoring the affected area. Pavement restoration will be completed when the Municipality's designated paving contractor is next scheduled to perform work in the area. The Municipality may invoice the property owner for the repair work, with payment due and payable within 30 days. Failure to pay on time will result in the outstanding invoice being applied to the land's real property taxes in accordance with Section 252(2) of the Municipal Act. b) If the damage to a sewer line is determined to come from tree roots or some other cause that may partially be the responsibility of the Municipality of Louise, the Municipality will consider the reimbursement of 50% of the out-of-pocket expenses up to a maximum of $2,500 of the expense, to the registered property owner upon receipt of copies of proof of damage and proof of paid invoices. This decision will be made by Council and all decisions are final. Communication about the problem to an Urban Public Works employee prior to repairs being completed is preferred.