Water and Wastewater

Hydrant flushing is in progress in urban Meaford, Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., through October. You may notice discoloured water or lower pressure (Tip: Run your cold bathtub tap if water is cloudy).

The Municipality of Meaford provides water and sewer services to approximately 2,300 residential, commercial and institutional customers. Here you can find information on paying your water bill, an interactive map, current projects, as well as annual reports on municipal water and wastewater services.

For after hours urgent issues call (888) 525-7024.

Interactive Map

Meaford's new municipal services map helps you to locate and understand water and wastewater services and facilities within the Municipality of Meaford.

Testing Private Drinking Water

The Municipality of Meaford would like to advise residents that the Grey Bruce Health Unit has partnered with the Municipality to open a Well Water Sample Drop-Off Location at 21 Trowbridge Street West, Meaford.

Samples will be picked up weekly from 21 Trowbridge Street West at 9:40 a.m. each Friday. Samples must be dropped off within 24 hours of the pick-up time. Sample bottles are available for pick up at 21 Trowbridge Street West.

Water testing is free, and part of a complimentary program offered by Public Health Ontario for residents on wells and other private drinking systems. For more information regarding private drinking water testing, please visit Grey Bruce Public Health.

Hydrant and Sewer Flushing

Each year, we flush hydrants and sewer lines to keep systems clean and functioning properly.

Hydrant Flushing – Urban Meaford

Hydrant flushing is underway from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and will continue through October.

You may notice:

Slight water discoloration or cloudiness
Reduced pressure during flushing
Water on roads or puddles after flushing

If water is discoloured:
Run the cold tap in your bathtub until it clears. This tap is best as it has no screen to trap sediment.

Sewer Flushing & Blow-Back

As part of regular maintenance, the Municipality of Meaford cleans sanitary sewer mains using a Vactor truck. This process usually takes 30 to 45 minutes per section between maintenance chambers (manholes), typically located in the center of the road.

The truck uses high-pressure water to flush the sewer main and a vacuum system to remove debris. This work may be noisy and can create a temporary vacuum in the pipe, which may:

Pull water from household plumbing traps (toilets, sinks, floor drains)
Cause gurgling sounds, bubbling, or minor splashing in fixtures
Lead to temporary sewage odours if trap water is lost

These effects are not harmful to your plumbing.

Why does this happen?
When the high-pressure nozzle passes your sewer lateral (on municipal property), it forces water and air a short distance up the pipe toward your home. In most homes, this air vents out through plumbing stacks. However, in some cases, especially homes with limited venting, the air can disturb water in plumbing traps.

If you notice odours or low water levels after flushing, simply run cold water into affected drains to restore the traps.

Once flushing is complete, a CCTV camera will be used to inspect the sewer main. Residential service lines are not flushed or inspected.

2025 Sanitary Flushing and CCTV Inspection Map

Winter Water Line Maintenance

The Municipality of Meaford would like to remind all homeowners that you are responsible for all water lines on your property.

It is important that homeowners take necessary precautions before freezing temperatures increase the possibility of frozen and/or broken water lines on their property. If this occurs, it can impact your water service, property damage, as well as damage to your water meter.

Any replacement of a frozen water meter will result in a service and replacement charge to the homeowner.

Below are some tips and precautionary measures you could use to protect your water service and meter:

Cover any exposed pipes in cold areas with insulating material and or heat tape
Block air passages into crawl spaces
Check crawl space to be sure pipes are protected
Secure basements against cold
Plug up drafty cracks and repair broken windowpanes
Check outside faucets
Remove hoses from outside faucets and check for leaks which could freeze and back up into the household plumbing.

If you have any concerns, please contact a licensed plumber to advise the best way to ensure your water lines and meter are protected from freezing.