Our sanitary sewer system delivers wastewater from homes and business to a regional treatment plant. We inspect and repair this system, but there are things you can do to help keep our pipes and sewers working properly.

On this page:

  1. Our sanitary infrastructure
  2. Sanitary sewer rates and rebates
  3. Emergency response
  4. Sanitary dos and don’ts
  5. Integrated Sanitary Master Plan
  6. Sanitary and stormwater system alterations

Our sanitary infrastructure

Our sanitary infrastructure collects wastewater through 834 kilometres of pipes and 22 pumping stations, delivering it to a regional plant for treatment before being safely returned to the environment.

We make sure all city-owned sanitary sewers are working properly every day by:

  • inspecting sanitary pipes
  • repairing sewers
  • inspecting and repairing maintenance holes
  • managing sewer odours

Sanitary sewer rates and rebates

We’re proud to serve more than 65,000 customers. Sewer rates billed to each property in Kitchener are charged to supply critical maintenance to this infrastructure and ongoing services to the public. Learn more about your sewer rates and rebates.

Emergency response

We offer 24/7 response to:

  • emergency spills
  • pumping station alarms
  • sewage back-ups
  • basement flooding
  • emergency sewer repairs

For service and repairs, call 519-741-2345.

Sanitary dos and don’ts

We all have a part to play in keeping our sanitary water infrastructure working for everyone. Don’t treat your toilet and drains like a garbage bin.

Do your part to help keep our sanitary system working properly:

  • use a strainer for your sink, tub and shower drains
  • only flush the 3P’s: pee, poop, and (toilet) paper
  • use your green bin for kitchen waste, not drains
  • use a paper towel to remove cooking grease and put it in your green bin, not down your drain
  • call Ontario One Call before clearing a blocked sewer

Don’t put these common household materials in your toilets and sinks:

  • cleaning wipes like disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, sanitary wipes and paper towels
  • fats, oils and grease
  • adhesive bandages
  • menstrual products, including tampons
  • condoms
  • rubber gloves, towels, rags, clothing or parts of clothing

These materials can cause a blockage in your toilet and home sewer line causing sewage to overflow into homes and streets, as well as local rivers and lakes.

Integrated Sanitary Master Plan

Did you know there are over 800km of sanitary sewer mains underneath Kitchener? We're creating an Integrated Sanitary Master Plan to make sure we meet our sanitary service needs now, and in the future.

The Master Plan will review existing conditions, develop an assessment of alternative solutions for sanitary servicing, and identify the preferred alternative to support planned growth across Kitchener.

Learn about this project and how you can get involved on Engage Kitchener.

Sanitary and stormwater system alterations

If you need to request an alteration to our sanitary or stormwater system, visit our sanitary and stormwater system alterations page to find the process and application.