Watermain breaks

Watermains are an important part of the City of Vaughan’s water infrastructure. They deliver safe and clean drinking water to Vaughan’s residents and businesses. The City’s Water Services team works hard to maintain water infrastructure, but occasionally, watermain breaks occur, especially during colder months.

 

A watermain break is when one of these pipes unexpectedly ruptures or leaks

If you see unusual wet spots, water ponding or flooding on roads or sidewalks that’s unlikely to be caused by rain or snow, seasonal thawing or blocked catch basins, it may be due to a watermain break. 

 

Please report it to the City immediately by phone at 905-832-2281 and provide the exact location and any other details you know.

Watermain breaks commonly happen because of: 

  • cold outdoor temperatures, which cause the ground to freeze and expand, increasing pressure on water pipes and can lead to breaks.
  • corrosion over time on the outside surface of pipes, weakening them. 
  • small leaks, which gradually wear away the soil around watermains, potentially causing them to collapse.
  • the age of the pipes, as older watermains are more susceptible to breaks.

If a watermain breaks, City staff will do everything they can to minimize the impact on residential water supply. 

 

Occasionally, repairs in your area can cause water pressure to dip, or your water supply may need to be temporarily shut off. In this event, City staff will go door-to-door to notify all affected residents. If you are not home, staff will leave a notice on your door. 

 

Prepare ahead of time by always keeping jugs or bottles of water on hand for drinking and cooking.

The City continues to use innovative initiatives to help prevent watermain breaks – such as the Smart Hydrant project. This technology allows for proactive approaches to address watermain breaks in areas near Smart Hydrants and has helped determine why residents may experience a drop in water pressure. 

 

Another way the City helps prevent watermain breaks is through a Watermain Replacement Program. Through this program, City staff oversee replacing existing iron watermains with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ones. Ageing iron watermains tend to be more prone to failures due to corrosion, so PVC watermains improve overall performance and reduce breaks and related disruptions.

 

City staff also perform routine and proactive maintenance on watermains to improve pressure and flow. This work ensures the City’s continued commitment to high-quality service delivery and keeping our water infrastructure strong and long-lasting.