Drinking Water and Wastewater

Water is not an everlasting resource. Throughout the year, the City of Dorval requests the cooperation of its citizens to conserve water. As such, watering restrictions are in effect in the municipality, from June 1 to September 1 of each year.

Consult the details

Municipal by-law RCM-79-2020 on potable water use also regulates several day-to-day practises.

In order to preserve this very precious resource during the rest of theyear, the City of Dorval offers, in cooperation with RÉSEAU environnement, helpful advice on how to avoid wasting water.

A Few Tips to Help You Reduce Your Water Consumption

Indoors:

• Take a quick shower instead of a bath and close the faucet while you are shaving or brushing your teeth. This will not only allow you to reduce the amount of water used, but it will also make you save on your electricity bill.
• Instead of wasting water by cooling it down every time you are thirsty, fill a jug, and put it in the refrigerator. Your water will always be cold and the taste of chlorine will disappear!
• Instead of using a food disposal machine that wastes hundreds of litres of water each week, make the most of your waste and use it for compost!
• Use recycled paper which production process requires less water and energy.

Outdoors:

• Water your lawn in the morning or in the evening instead of the afternoon, otherwise it evaporates faster under the sun.
• Choose a landscape installation that has reduced water needs. Perennial plants and groundcover shrubs will allow you to save water. Do not plant too many annual plants since they require a lot of water and fertilizer.
• Adjust your sprinkle to make sure it doesn’t wet the terrace, driveway, or sidewalks.
• To wash your car, use a sponge and a bucket of water. Use your hose only for the final rinsing. By doing so, you could save up to 300 litres!
• Sweep your driveway and patio instead of using your hose.
• When filling your swimming pool, leave 15 to 20 centimetres of space to the edge. This way, less water will be lost by splashes.

Did You Know That…

• Because they consume 424 litres per day per person, Quebecers are the second largest drinking water consumers in the world.
• Quebec’s municipalities produce almost 50% more drinking water than Ontario’s.
• Only 1% of the water consumed by household is for personal use.
• The toilet flush uses approximately 40% of the water consumed in a household.
• You can reduce your faucet’s flow by 25% by installing a shut-off nuzzle. The flow will be sufficient to fill a glass or rinse your tooth brush and you will save water.
• During the summer, 75% of drinking water produced by municipalities is used for lawns.
• A water hose delivers 1,000 litres per hour. It represents drinking needs of a person for three years! Lawns do not need to be watered every day.
• The lawn goes into dormancy in July. Not only should you not fertilise it during this period, but you should definitely limit the watering.
• By keeping your grass a little longer, it will stay damped longer, look better, and keep its moisture longer.
• A medium size pool can loose up to 4,000 litres of water per month due to evaporation. That amount is sufficient to cover a family’s drinking needs for three years! By covering your pool, you will save that amount.
• 70% of the world’s surface is covered by water, but freshwater represents only 3% of that amount.

The City of Dorval requests the cooperation of its citizens to conserve water throughout the year. In that sense, watering restrictions are in effect from June 1 to September 1 of each year, as follows:

By sprinklers or soaker hoses

Watering is permitted from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (if it does not rain), as follows:

• Even-numbered civic address: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Odd-numbered civic address: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

By automatic sprinkler systems

• Must be equipped, among others, with an automatic humidity sensor
• Must be programmed between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., as follows:
  • Even-numbered civic address: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
  • Odd-numbered civic address: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

Exceptions et restrictions

• Manuel watering of gardens, flowers, trees, and shrubs, using a hose fitted with a self-closing nozzle, is permitted at all times.
• The watering of a newly installed lawn, of a new tree, or of new landscaping is permitted daily during the 15 days following installation, planting, or landscaping, after obtaining a permit, free of charge, from the Urban Planning Department. It is possible to apply through the City's Online Requests portal. Once you have completed the steps, you will receive your permit by email.  

Those who contravene these restrictions could receive a fine of up to $1,000 in a residential area and a fine of up to $2,000 in a commercial area.

The rest of the year, common sense and respect for water, a precious resource, must dictate your actions. In Dorval, like everywhere else, much water is wasted on excessive watering and evaporation. Lawns and gardens need water, but less than one would think. Generally, they need 2 to 3 centimetres of water per week in order to develop deep roots.

It is also wise to use a broom to clean the driveway or the sidewalk rather than spraying it down with water. This saves hundreds of litres of water each time.

Obtain a certificate of authorization

Consult the integral version of the by-law concerning potable water use

The sewer pipe located on private property is the responsibility of the homeowner and must be maintained in good working order at all times. The City of Dorval, for its part, is in charge of installing or replacing a connection on city property. The expected life of a sewer pipe is 25 to 30 years.

Water mains

Service connexion

The sewer pipe located on private property is the responsibility of the homeowner and must be maintained in good working condition at all times. The City of Dorval, on its end, is in charge of installing or replacing a connection on the City's right of way.

All installation or replacement work located on the City right of way must be undertaken by municipal employees.  All connection requests must be addressed to the Public Works Director or his duly authorized representatives on the form provided for this purpose and must be accompanied by a plan featuring the building to be connected, the municipal network and the connection pipes with their dimensions and their identification, as well as all other elements present on the site, such as trees, posts, manholes, etc., which can serve as a reference on the field.

Form – Connexion request

More details on service connections are available by clicking on the folowing links :

Residential services

Industrial, commercial, and institutional services

Back-up safety valve

All homeowners must install a back-up safety valve to prevent sewer back-ups. Should a homeowner fail to do so, the City will not be responsible for damages caused to the dwelling or its content following flooding due to a sewer back-up.

Sewer back-up

When a sewer back-up occurs, the City must first determine its cause. The resident is asked to submit his claim within 15 days of the incident and to have the sewer pipe inspected to determine where the blockage of break occurred. Should the blockage or break be located on the municipal right of way, the repairs will be made free of charge. Should the break or blockage be located on private property, the homeowner will be responsible for having the repairs carried out.

Consult the by-law concerning applicable rates for sewers (Appendix C)

File a claim

Water main break – Cleaning and rust 

In case of a water main break, please contact Public Works immediately. If the break is located on private property, the City will close the valve leading to the municipal water distribution system to allow the owner of the property to carry out, at his own cost, the necessary repairs. Following any interruption in water distribution, property owners must flush the in-house water distribution system and ensure that all water-operated apparatus, such as washing machines, water heaters, etc. are flushed out to eliminate rust. To eliminate rust, please let the water run until it becomes clear.

Note:  Should you notice that a catch basin or sewer cover is ajar, please notify Public Works immediately.