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Having a Gas Line Installed to Your Home 

There are several important details you should know about when you are planning to have a gas line installed to your home.

What Is Natural Gas?
How Much Does It Cost to Have a New Gas Line Installed?
Are There Any Restrictions for a Natural Gas Line?
What Are the Steps Required to Get a Natural Gas Line Installed?

What Is Natural Gas?

Natural gas is formed from decomposed organic plants and animal matter. In its pure state, this clean burning natural gas has no odour and is tasteless. Methyl mercaptan [Mur-cap-tan], which smells like rotten eggs, has been added as a safety precaution to allow even small leaks to be detected.

How Much Does It Cost to Have a New Gas Line Installed?

Most residential homes in Kitchener can be serviced free of charge provided you will be using – at a minimum – a natural gas furnace or a combination of a natural gas water heater and an additional natural gas appliance such as a fireplace, range, or dryer. A natural gas water heater qualifies for installation on its own if it’s during the non-frost months; if not, an additional frost charge could be applicable.  If you are using just one natural gas appliance (other than a furnace), we will need to estimate for the installation and there may be charge for installation. Please call the Kitchener Utilities Marketing Office for information at (519) 741-2626.

Other charges include:

• Meter set (a one-time charge of $35.00 + 13% HST)
• Daily fixed delivery charge ($0.56/day + 13% HST, which appears on your Kitchener Utilities bill)
• Gas consumption (see natural gas rates)

Applications for commercial, industrial, and condominium projects must be accompanied by site plans and submitted to the Kitchener Utilities Engineering Office (519) 741-2539.

Are There Any Restrictions for a Natural Gas Line?

The gas line may be a plastic service (plastic pipe) or a steel service (steel pipe). The riser-regulator location must not be closer than 90 cm (3 feet) to any building openings, such as doors or windows that open, dryer vents, fresh air intakes, heat pumps, and 99 cm (39 inches) from air conditioners. It must not be closer than 180 cm (6 feet) from mechanical air intakes.

The gas meter must be easily accessible and visible for meter readings and in case of emergency. The gas meter may not be installed behind your house, behind bushes, or behind a locked gate. Gas lines installed in or beside a driveway must have an impact barrier installed by Kitchener Utilities, and an extra charge will apply.

What Are the Steps Required to Get a Natural Gas Line Installed?

1. An application must be completed.

We highly recommend that you get a qualified heating contractor to fill out the application on your behalf. The application form must contain the precise measurements of where the gas line and meter will be located. This accuracy will ensure prompt installation of the gas line and avoid possible charges to rectify mistakes after construction. If inaccurate information provided on the application requires an adjustment of the riser-regulator location, the homeowner will be required to pay a relocation fee.

Applications may be picked up and completed ones sent or dropped off at Kitchener City Hall or dropped off at Kitchener Utilities.

Kitchener City Hall
200 King St. W.
5th Floor, P.O. Box 1118
Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7
Office hours: 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Kitchener Utilities
83 Elmsdale Dr.
Kitchener, ON
Office hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (drop off only; do not mail applications to this address)

2. Site locates to be completed.

Kitchener Utilities will ensure the appropriate site locates are done before we install a gas line on your property. Approximately one to three weeks before the gas line is installed, the participating utilities will be coming to your home to provide an on-site locate of their underground facilities. The utilities will mark their facility in a specific colour:

• Hydro – red
• Telephone – orange
• Cable – orange
• Gas – yellow
• Water – blue
• Sewer – green

Whenever you do any digging on your property yourself, be sure to call before you dig.

3. Installation to be completed.

After the application has been completed and submitted, we will endeavor to install your gas service within 3 weeks. Please note that special arrangements can be made for no-heat situations. We need to be in contact with your heating contractor to coordinate our installation according with his or her work schedule.

In some cases, a trench (approximately 30 cm wide) is dug from the main gas line to the meter location at the house. Where conditions permit, three holes (approximately 2 m x 30 cm) may be dug instead to minimize disruption. One hole is made at the main gas line, another at an intermediate location, and the third hole is made at the house where the meter will be located. Air pressure is used to push a rocket through the ground from one hole to the other. If there is an obstruction in the ground, another hole will be dug at the obstruction. The gas line is installed and a pressure test is done to ensure it is intact.

Once the gas line is installed, there will be live gas in the line going to the house. If you do not begin to use natural gas within 3 months of the service installation, charges may apply to you (the owner) or to the contractor.

Your heating contractor is responsible for installing the inside piping and hanging the meter bar. Once the meter bar is attached and the equipment is installed, a Kitchener Utilities service professional will come to your home to install the meter and inspect the natural gas equipment.

4. Repairs to the property are made.

Kitchener Utilities will repair any grass or sidewalk that may be damaged from installing the gas line. Repairs of this type will occur from May to September (regardless of when your gas line is installed). Note that the homeowner is responsible for watering the lawn after it is repaired to help ensure it recovers from the disturbance. The owner is responsible for any necessary repairs to concrete or asphalt on private property.