Outages and news

Outages, watermain breaks and service disruptions

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News

How homeowners can adapt to climate change with a few tweaks to their yards

If you’re wondering what you can do to help yourself and your neighbourhood adapt to the changing climate, you have options. Reep Green Solutions, a non-profit organization, is offering consultation for homeowners on ways to reduce the amount of run-off making its way into their homes and into the city’s stormwater systems during extreme rain events. This is in partnership with the City of Kitchener to reduce run-off on both private and public lands.

Reep is offering in-person consultations in neighbourhoods within the Shoemaker Creek and Montgomery Creek watersheds as
well as near the green infrastructure projects being installed along seven different roadways by the city.

Homeowners can check if they live in these neighbourhoods and are eligible for an in-person consultation at Reep’s website:
Reepgreen.ca/rain-smart.

Out with the concrete, in with the nature

The concrete lining streams in the City of Kitchener is being ripped out piece by piece and replaced with green
infrastructure like trees, shrubs and floodplain.

This is part of the city’s 15-year Stormwater Management Master Plan, a comprehensive approach to improving the city’s stormwater infrastructure as the impacts of climate change are felt. More storm events and more rain are predicted for Waterloo Region. This means municipalities need to be ready to handle more water in their stormwater systems.

Besides working on reducing the amount of run-off entering the stormwater system from private and public land during a storm
event, city staff are also working to make the streams running through the city more resilient and capable of handling heavy rainfall events. This means ripping out the concrete and creating more natural infrastructure, among other techniques.

Staff aim to naturalize two or three watercourses each year, said Matt Wilson, a water resources engineer with the city.
Wilson’s team is currently working on naturalizing Shoemaker Creek by taking out the concrete that currently lines the stream.
Read the full article on therecord.com

Greener Homes Canada Grant

Provided by the Government of Canada

The government is now accepting applications for energy efficiency upgrades up to $5,000. Upgrades include air sealing, insulation, windows and doors, heat pumps for heating and water heating, smart and programmable thermostats, and renewable energy – solar panels.

For more information on rebate amounts, eligible upgrades, and application process, visit the Government of Canada's website.

Bill inserts

September 2021

Ensuring clean and reliable water

Kitchener Utilities is committed to making sure our water is reliable, for today and for future generations. We regularly perform maintenance on our water pipes, including flushing watermains to reduce the incidence of discoloured water in our customers’ taps. This year, the work is scheduled in the Doon Pioneer Park, Centreville-Chicopee, Kingsdale, Stanley Park, Victoria Hills, and Williamsburg neighbourhoods. The map shows the watermain flushing area for 2021.

This important maintenance work takes place Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting in September and ending in November.

When we are working in your area, you may notice:

discoloured water
educed water pressure
short-term water outage

Should you experience discoloured water during this work, simply run your cold water tap until the water flows clear.

Visit kitchenerutilities.ca/waterflushing to find out if cleaning is scheduled for your area or call 519-741-2529.

Watermain cleaning is part of our infrastructure maintenance under the Drinking Water Quality Management Standard, we are committed to delivering safe drinking water.

Top 3 ways to save on your water bill

1. Take a 5-minute (or less) shower

2. Upgrade to efficient toilets, showerheads and tap aerators with the WaterSense label

3. Skip watering lawn or gardens

Are you using more water than you should? Conservation lowers your environmental impact and saves money.

Get more water saving tips at our free webinar on October 20. Sign up today!

If you can’t join us live, check www.youtube.com/REEPoutreach for a video recording.

Learn more or register or call 519-575-4400 Deaf and hard of hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608

Are you closing your pool or hot tub for the season?

Pools and hot tubs contain chemicals that are harmful to our environment and aquatic life.

When closing your pool, ensure the water is drained safely and follow these guidelines:

Chlorinated pools

dechlorinate water before draining
drain water slowly onto your property (i.e. your lawn).

Saltwater pools

salt water should be hauled away by a licensed hauler or slowly released into a sanitary sewer system connection (i.e. a laundry sink) located on your own property.

Never drain any pool or hot tub into a storm drain. This water goes untreated, making its way to our waterways.

By taking these simple steps, you can enjoy your pool and protect the environment! Visit Backyard pool safety - City of Kitchener for more information.