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Stormwater and Sewer Services

Sanitary Sewage System

The Sanitary Sewage System is made up of a series of pipes, maintenance holes and pumping stations that collect wastewater from the plumbing system of all buildings in our community. The system carries wastewater to the Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Plant, where we treat it and return it to the Otonabee River.

Inflow and Infiltration refers to rainwater and groundwater that enters the sanitary sewer through a variety of defects. Learn more about Inflow and Infiltration to the Sanitary System and help us fix this problem. Funding is available to help cover the costs.

We're taking action to manage flows into our sanitary sewer system based on an environmental assessment, which is a detailed review and analysis master plan.

Storm Sewer System

The Storm Sewer System includes a series of pipes and maintenance holes, as well as catch-basins, stormwater management ponds, oil and grit treatment devices and storm pipe outfalls (where stormwater goes into a water-body). All stormwater that is collected in this system goes directly to a creek or the Otonabee River without going to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Approximately 25% of the City's stormwater receives some treatment in a stormwater management pond or oil and grit treatment device before going into a creek or the Otonabee River.

Inflow and infiltration reduction

Drinking water

Please visit our Water Services pages to learn more about the provision of drinking water in our community.

Sewer surcharge rate

The sewer surcharge rate will increase to 107.69% of the water rate for 2025 (2024 rate: 106.13%).

For the Draft 2025 Budget staff recommend that the seventh year of the ten-year implementation of the Wastewater-Sanitary Sewer surcharge rate increase be implemented. The sewer surcharge rate is a rate applied to eligible water charges.

Funds collected from this surcharge raise sewer surcharge revenues to be used by the City to pay for operating and capital sanitary sewer works.

All of the Environmental Protection operating expenses, except the Little Lake Fountain, plus Public Works Sanitary Sewer maintenance costs, are funded through Sewer Surcharge Revenues. The revenue from “extra strength” surcharge agreements, and hauled sewage from surrounding counties, will continue to offset operating costs.

All of the Environmental Protection Capital works, plus Wastewater Related Capital works, are funded either through contributions from the Waste Water Reserve Fund or through Development Charges.

Environmental Monitoring Program

The City of Peterborough's Environmental Protection Division Environmental Monitoring Program is responsible for enforcing the City's Sewer Use By-Law through monitoring programs and site inspections at industrial properties. Staff also investigate spills and complaints and provide emergency response to spills to the sewer system and local waterways.

Please contact us about complaints and Sewer Use By-Law questions.

To report a spill to the environment please call the Spills Action Centre 1-800-268-6060.

Annual Reporting: Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Approval

Contact Us

City Hall
500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R9

Phone: 705-742-7777
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755
Email Us

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