Tips for Keeping Your Water Pipes Flowing in Ottawa’s Winter Weather

Winter in Ottawa offers its own set of joys, but frozen water pipes can certainly be a hassle. With temperatures that fluctuate and the potential for extended cold snaps, ensuring that your water pipes stay warm is crucial for avoiding disruptions in your home’s water supply.

As the frost sets in, it can cause the underground pipes connecting your property to the City’s water main to freeze. This can lead to costly damage, but with the right precautions, you can keep your pipes flowing freely.

Fortunately, Thomas, Charlie, and Robert from the City’s dedicated Water Linear Customer Service team are ready to help you navigate these winter challenges and keep the water running.

How to Prevent Frozen Water Pipes:

Follow these practical tips to safeguard your water service pipes and ensure your household has access to Ottawa’s top-quality tap water all winter long:

• Keep your indoor temperature consistent: Even if you’re going away for a few days, make sure your home’s temperature stays above 8°C to prevent pipes from freezing.
• Allow heat to circulate around pipes: Open doors to rooms or areas where water lines or your water meter are located, especially in cooler spaces like basements, so the heat can reach those pipes.
• Insulate exposed pipes: Use foam insulation on pipes located near exterior walls, in attics, or crawl spaces to keep them from freezing.
• Keep your garage door closed: Prevent cold air from creeping in and freezing pipes by keeping your garage door shut, especially those connected to upstairs bathrooms.
• Disconnect outdoor hoses: Outdoor taps and hoses should be disconnected and drained. Old outdoor taps may have a shutoff valve in the basement; if so, turn it off to prevent freezing.
• Let snow stay on top of water lines: Snow serves as an insulating blanket for underground pipes. Don’t clear snow from over your water service line, as it helps keep the frost from reaching it.
• Know where your shut-off valve is: Ensure your interior water shut-off valve is easily accessible and functioning, so you can act quickly if you experience a burst pipe.

What to Do If Your Pipe Freezes:

If you notice no water flowing from your taps, it’s possible that a water line has frozen. In that case, contact 3-1-1 to report the issue. The City’s First Response Team will evaluate the situation and assist if necessary.

Ottawa’s extensive underground pipeline network covers over 3,200 kilometers and serves over 950,000 customers with safe, reliable drinking water. Should a water service pipe freeze, the City’s team will work to restore service as quickly as possible.

Are You at Risk?

Around 2,000 properties in Ottawa have water lines that are more vulnerable to freezing due to shallow placement or insufficient insulation. The City issues seasonal “Run Water” advisories to properties at risk when frost depths reach critical levels. The City monitors these conditions using frost depth data from Environment Canada’s Ottawa International Airport.

Stay Informed:

To learn more about preventing frozen water services, visit ottawa.ca/FrozenServices, call 3-1-1, or watch the informational video below.

Ottawa’s World-Class Water

By taking the time to prepare your home now, you can help ensure that Ottawa’s exceptional tap water keeps flowing to your household, no matter how cold it gets outside.

For more information, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401), or reach out to the City through Canada Video Relay Service at 613-580-2400. You can also connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram for the latest updates.