Water and Sewer

The Township of South Stormont is responsible for three water systems to provide residents with safe drinking water, and two municipal sewage systems to take and treat sewage from propertied that do not have septic systems.

Water bills are billed bi-monthly, in January, March, May, July, September and November.

Payments are due and payable no less than thirty (30) days after the date of mailing. A penalty of ten percent (10%) shall be added to the current bill if payment is not received on or before the due date.

Your water/sewer bill can now be delivered by e-mail. If you sign up for e-billing, you will NOT receive a paper copy, therefore, please retain the e-mailed copy for your files. It is your responsibility to notify the municipality if your e-mail address changes or if you no longer want to participate in e-billing.

Sign up for e-billing

  1. Pre-authorized Payments
  2. By telephone, internet or personal banking through participating financial institutions.  In most cases 3 business days are needed for processing.
  3. Pay in person via cash, cheque or debit at the Township of South Stormont, 2 Mille Roches Road, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. There is also an “after hours” drop box just right of the front door should you wish to pay by cheque after hours. Post-dated cheques are accepted.
  4. Mail a cheque to: 

     Township of South Stormont
     PO Box 84
     Long Sault, ON
     K0C 1P0

Effective January 1, 2024, all water bill reprint requests require payment of the applicable fee as outlined in the Fees & Charges By-law to be paid during the request submission. The current fee is $10.00 per bill copy

 

To request a reprint of a previous water bill, please complete the form below. 

 

Water Bill Reprint Request Form

Transition to Bi-Monthly Water and Wastewater Billing

Beginning in March 2026, the Township has transitioned from quarterly water billing to a new bi-monthly billing schedule. Below you will find answers to common questions about the transition. 

The Township is moving to bi‑monthly billing to improve affordability, cash‑flow stability, consumption monitoring, and internal controls. More frequent billing helps residents’ budget more easily and allows earlier detection of leaks or abnormal usage.  

• Smaller, easier‑to‑budget bills

• Earlier detection of leaks due to more frequent meter reads

• Reduced arrears because balances don’t accumulate as long

• More timely feedback on water use

• Better alignment with municipal best practices across Ontario. 

The bi‑monthly billing cycle begins March 2026, following Council approval on February 11, 2026.  

You will receive six bills per year instead of four.

  • Quarterly billing: 4 bills per year
  • Bi‑monthly billing: 6 bills per year

Bills will continue to be provided at least 30 days before the due date. Due dates are now more consistent, occurring on the last business day of the following months each year.

Billing Period Bill Issued Due Date (last business day)
January - February March April
March - April May June
May - June July August
July - August September October
September - October November December
November - December January February

No. The billing frequency is changing, not the rates. Your annual cost remains the same; it is simply divided into smaller, more manageable bills.

Yes. The minimum charge has been recalculated to reflect six bi‑monthly bills instead of four quarterly bills. This does not increase the overall annual minimum charge; it simply spreads the same annual amount across more billing periods.

Meter reading frequency will increase to match the bi‑monthly cycle. The process itself does not change, only the timing.

Yes. More frequent billing allows residents and staff to spot unusual consumption patterns earlier, helping reduce water loss and prevent large, unexpected bills. Residents are still encouraged to monitor their water consumption by conserving water and checking their water meter regularly.

If you are already enrolled in Pre‑Authorized Payment, no action is required.

  • You will continue to receive your invoice showing “Pre‑Authorized Payment”, the due date, and the amount to be withdrawn.
  • The payment will be automatically withdrawn on the due date listed on your bill.

Residents already enrolled in the Equal Monthly Payment Plan will continue to have their payment withdrawn on the 15th of each month.

  • In August, you will receive a recalculation letter indicating your new monthly payment starting September 15.
  • This new amount is based on your last 12 months of consumption.

 

Water Billing Frequently Asked Questions

Water meters are typically located in the basement, along the front wall and near the floor. Other common places include basement washrooms, laundry rooms and furnace rooms.

Water meters contain a disk that revolves inside a chamber, much like an odometer on your car.  As the water passes through the chamber, the disk turns to track your water use in cubic meters.

South Stormont water meters read in cubic meters. For reference, 1 cubic meter is 1000 litres. The average 2–4-person household uses approximately 0.5 – 1.0 cubic meters of water per day. If you are using more than that, you may wish to look at your water use behaviour or might have a private plumbing leak. 

The billing cycles are as follows:

  • 1st quarter is December 1-February 28. Meters are read in March and bills are sent in April
  • 2nd quarter is March 1-May 31. Meters are read in June and bills are sent in July
  • 3rd quarter is June 1-August 31. Meters are read in September and bills are sent in October
  • 4th quarter is September 1-November 30. Meters are read in December and bills are sent in January

 To view the minimum water and wastewater rates, please click here

The PDF image below will indicate how to read your water bill. 

 

How do I read my water bill?

A sudden rise in the amount of your bill may be due to a number of reasons:

  • Plumbing leaks in toilets and/or fixtures
  • An increase in the number of people living or working in your dwelling
  • A dry, hot summer, resulting in higher water use
  • An increase in the number of days in the billing period
  • Renovations, recent landscaping, or filling a swimming pool
  • Water powered sump pumps

Across the Country it is normal to see higher wastewater charges compared to water costs for many reasons:

  1. Whether the drinking water ends up in the sewer, wastewater rates are calculated based on water consumption. Lawn watering, car washing, pool filling and draining all result in wastewater charges.
  2. Water and wastewater rates are currently set to ensure there is sufficient funds to pay for water and wastewater services, day-to-day operating and asset replacement/rehabilitation costs.

    Wastewater is dirty and filled with organic waste and many other items that should never be flushed or poured down drains (ie. condoms, hair, tampons, cooking oil, wipes); so, it takes more time, money and energy to clean this type of water so that it can be released.

Look at your water meter

Residents in South Stormont will either have a Radio Frequency meter or a Pro-Read Meter, below are instructions on how to read both types of meters. Ensure the photos in the instructions match what your meter looks like.

    1. For Radio Frequency water meters
    2. For Pro-Read water meters

Check the water meter reading before going to bed. If the reading has increased in the morning, and there were no toilets flushed, or faucets run during the night, it could indicate there is a leak.

Conduct a Dye Test on your Toilet.

Toilets are a common cause of leaks. A leaky toilet can waste up to 600+ cubic metres a month or 20 cubic metres a day. To check for leaks, place food colouring or dye test tablets (available at home improvement stores) in the tank at the back of your toilet. Do not flush. Wait and observe for 10-15 minutes. If the colour seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak.

*DID YOU KNOW* - a leaky toilet can cost you up to $125.00 / day.

Water Service Pipe Leak

A continuous leak from a hole in a water service pipe can cost you.

 

  • A 1/16" hole can waste 3.57m³ (3,570 litres) in 24 hours
  • A 1/8" hole can waste 14 m³ (14,000 litres) in 24 hours
  • A 3/16" hole can waste 32.13 m³ (32,130 litres) in 24 hours

Check the Water Meter Every Day

Checking your water meter daily allows you to know your water usage, detect leaks early, and avoid spikes in your quarterly water bill. Furthermore, you can also keep a daily log of your usage to be aware of your water usage patterns. It allows you to identify areas where you can conserve and reduce costs easily. While this method is a bit tedious, it is, without a doubt, one of the best ways to monitor your water usage and bills.

Residents in South Stormont will either have a Radio Frequency meter or a Pro-Read Meter, below are instructions on how to read both types of meters. Ensure the photos in the instructions match what your meter looks like.

    1. For Radio Frequency water meters
    2. For Pro-Read water meters

Monitoring your water usage has the following advantages:

  • Helps control water usage
  • Helps detect possible leaks early
  • Helps keep bills in budget

  • Water wisely.  Water your lawn and garden only every second day and do it early in the morning. Avoid wasting water on sidewalks and other paved areas.   
  • Wash your car only if necessary. 
  • Wash only full loads of laundry.  By washing full instead of partial loads, you could save up to 13,600 litres of water a year. 
  • Fix leaks. A leaking faucet can waste up to 0.03 cubic meters (30 litres) per day and a leaking toilet can waste up to 20 cubic meters (20,000 litres) per day.

If you are on the Quarterly Pre-Authorized Payment Plan you are receiving a bill not only for your records, but so that you know the date your account will automatically be withdrawn and the amount that will be withdrawn from your bank account on file.

If you are on the monthly Equal Payment Plan you are receiving a bill not only for your records, but because the responsibility is on the property owner to monitor their account and their usage, if you have a large debit balance, please reach out to accountsreceivable@southstormont.ca or call 613-534-8889 to adjust your monthly payments.

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