Municipal Services
Most homeowners may not realize they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their house or sewer lateral (the pipeline between the municipal sewer main and the building).
Some of the most common causes of sewer backups are:
If water is entering your basement rapidly, call the municipality Operations Department and report the problem immediately.
How to prevent backups in your sewer lateral and in the Municipality's main:
Recognize the signs of a sewer backup:
If you notice any of these signs, contact a plumber right away.
If you notice sewage flowing into your drains, toilets, or bathtubs, a sewer backup may already be occurring. If this happens, you should stop using your water, turn off your house's main water supply, and contact a plumber. You can also contact the Municipality's Operations Department to see if they can assist in determining if the problem is in the main sewer or in your own pipe before you bring in a plumber.
Water and Sewer services are available in the urban service area of Callander. The 2024 water rate is $5.031825 per cubic meters of water used. The wastewater rate for 2024 is $4.722495, calculated at 93.85% of the water useage per cubic meter. There is a minimum quarterly fee of $76.18. Water bills are sent out on a quarterly basis, based on meter readings and consumption:
1st Quarter Representing December 15 to March 15 consumption: due April 30th
2nd Quarter Representing March 16 to June 15 consumption: due July 31st
3rd Quarter Representing June 16 to September 15 consumption: due October 31st
4th Quarter Representing September 16 to December 15 consumption: due January 31st
CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON "HOW TO READ YOUR WATER METER"
Want to recieve your bill by email? Email finance@callander.ca to request future bills by email.
Methods of payment: Personal Cheques, Cash, and Interac available. Pre-authorized payment option on due date is available for water/sewer bills.
On-line Banking / Telephone Payments through your Financial Institution can be made by searching for "Callander" on their Payee listing (sometimes appears as "Municipality of...." or "Corporation of...."), then choose "Water”. When inputting your Water Account #, include all 12 digits.
Water sampling: Bacterial sample results and quarterly reports are available at the Main Office.
Contact: Please contact Finance at (705) 752-1410 ext. 226 or via e-mail to finance@callander.ca for additional information or inquiries regarding water, sewer and for a final meter reading prior to sale and/or change of tenancy.
The Council for the Municipality of Callander has adopted By-Law 2015-1479, which requires septic tanks adjacent to Lake Nipissing and Callander Bay and its inflowing watercourses to be pumped out at least once every three (3) years for permanent residences and once every five (5) years for seasonal residences (used less than twelve weeks per year). Proof of Pump Out must be provided no more than 30 days after pumping out and before December 31st of every third (3) year or every fifth (5) year if it is deemed a seasonal property.
Why Is the Pump-Out Required?
Callander Bay is an important resource of the Municipality of Callander. The bay is the sole source of drinking water for the Municipality of Callander’s municipal water distribution system and the source of drinking water for the private water systems of hundreds of homes located in our community. The Municipality of Callander deems it necessary to protect the health of the bay from any impacts from septic systems located adjacent to Callander Bay or its tributaries.
Best practices suggested by the Ministry of the Environment of Ontario and by the operating and maintenance guidelines of most suppliers of septic systems, suggest that the system’s septic tanks be pumped out every three (3) to five (5) years depending on their use for optimum performance of the septic system.
In general, this timeline has been set since septic systems typically need to be emptied in this period to prevent them from exceeding their holding capacity. If a septic tank is not emptied frequently enough, the holding cell for solids may reach its capacity and overflow, leading to the seepage of sewage into nearby watercourses. These situations could have detrimental effects on the quality of the Municipality of Callander’s drinking water and the health of the bay.
The map indicates subject area of the By-law.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Provide the Required Verification?
To confirm that your property complies, you must submit the receipt from the company that completed your pump out and complete the Proof of Septic Tank Pump Out Form.
To submit proof of septic tank pump out form and receipt from the pumping company, either mail or drop off the documents to:
The Municipality of Callander
280 Main Street, North
Box 100
Callander, ON P0H 1H0
How do I Obtain a Certificate of Compliance for Property Sales?
If you require of a certificate of compliance to prove that your septic tank is in compliance with this By-law, please contact the Planning Administrator at 705-752-1410 x 306.
If you are a solicitor enquiring on behalf of a property for sale, please submit the Septic System Compliance Enquiry Form.
Who Is Responsible for Operating and Maintaining my Septic System?
Septic systems are privately owned and are not connected to municipal sewer lines. Therefore, the owner of a septic system is responsible for the care or maintenance of their system as well ensuring that it is in compliance with all rules and regulations. By taking proper care of your septic system, you will ensure that it remains effective and efficient for the life of the system while optimizing its longevity.
The following sites provide some helpful hints for operating and maintaining your septic system.
Who Can I Contact for Inspections and Permits
For inspections and permits, the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority was designated under the Ontario Building Code (OBC-1997) to conduct inspections and issue sewage system permits across the Nipissing District and defined areas within the Parry Sound District. This includes the area surrounding Callander Bay.
In addition, building permits may be required from the Municipality of Callander’s Building Department. To determine if you require a building permit contact the Chief Building Official at 705-752-1410 x 307
Municipal Contact
For additional information or should you have any questions regarding the Septic Pump Out By-law No. 2015-1478 please contact the Planning Administrator at 705-752-1410 x 306.
If you are unsure when the last pumping out of your septic system was done, you can contact the Planning Administrator to inquire.
Did you know?
As a homeowner you are responsible for the water and sewer service lines buried on your private property. A breakdown to these lines could happen without warning resulting in an unexpected and costly emergency repair. The lifespan of a service line depends on many factors including construction material, soil conditions and the location, number and species of nearby trees. While not typically covered by basic homeowners’ insurance, residents are encouraged to check with their provider to confirm if they have existing coverage. Residents may also consider coverage from an external service plan provider.
Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC)
The Municipality of Callander has partnered with Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) to offer eligible homeowners optional repair plans to help protect residents against potentially expensive emergency repairs to water service lines or well and sewer/septic lines on their private property.
Participation is optional and voluntary for homeowners. The program is solely managed by SLWC and uses no public funds. Residents will not be solicited in person or by phone. A homeowner who chooses to enroll in this program should do so with the knowledge that the Municipality of Callander in no way warrants or is liable for the work or performance of SLWC.
Is a resident obligated to purchase coverage?
No. This is an optional, voluntary program. This program is being offered to our residents for their convenience. Residents are under no obligation to purchase any service plans, and residents’ utility service will not be affected in any way if they choose not to participate in this program.
Isn’t this the same as homeowners insurance?
Residents are encouraged to contact their home insurance provider and find out what their coverage is in this area. Chances are that some damages would be covered, but the actual repair or replacement of the pipes would not. This can cost thousands of dollars. A couple of insurance companies are now offering this as a “rider” to a homeowner policy.
However, a homeowners insurance policy rider may require a deductible and an out-of-pocket cost upfront, with the homeowner being reimbursed after the fact. Homeowners also must find their own contractors.
Service Line Warranties of Canada does not have any call-out fees or deductibles. Contractors are pre- screened, dispatched and paid directly by Service Line Warranties.
THE SLWC recently launch the SLWC Cares program designed to help residents in financial need faced with service line emergency with no form of coverage and no way to pay their repair bills. For more information, please visit: https://servicelinewarranties.ca/slwc-cares/
For more Information on available plans, please contact SLWC:
Or to learn more on how this partnership works, please view the video below
Click here for a video about Manganese & why its effecting our water
Coloured water occurs due to the presence of manganese in the system’s source water, Callander Bay. Manganese can cause brown or blackish coloured water and tends to increase in the lake during the warmer summer months.
Manganese is a mineral that is found naturally in the environment and is one of the most abundant metals on the earth’s surface, in air, water and soil. It can be found in both groundwater and surface water from natural sources.
The limit for manganese in drinking water (0.05 mg/L) is set by the Province of Ontario and is an aesthetic objective. Aesthetic objectives are established for parameters that may impair the taste, smell or colour of water. There is no health-based limit for manganese set by the Province of Ontario.
Drinking water is regularly tested by OCWA and meets the provincial drinking water regulations set out by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
Manganese is removed from the drinking water in Callander through the addition of potassium permanganate prior to water filtration and through the flushing of fire hydrants.
Potassium permanganate is used to remove manganese from raw water. It causes the manganese to become a solid so that it can then be removed by the filtration plant filters. When raw water shows low to no level of manganese, the potassium permanganate system is removed from the treatment process.
Flushing is also a common solution, but less favourable in the winter months due to the potential for freezing in culverts and ditches. It also stirs up accumulated iron sediment in the system, which would in turn also discolour the water temporarily.
Residents are advised to run their taps on cold until the coloured water and sediment are removed. Taps should be run for at least five minutes or more until sediment and colour are no longer present.
You should avoid running your hot water taps to avoid pulling sediment into your hot water heater. If sediment was pulled into your hot water heater, you should consider draining your tank. Other hot water tanks, such as fridge ice makers may also need to be emptied.
Additionally, it is advisable to avoid running your washing machine while coloured water is visible as manganese can stain clothing.
The Municipality encourages all residents to contact the Municipality whenever coloured water or sediment is experienced. All reports from residents when water quality issues arise help the system operator determine where manganese levels are causing coloured water and can help determine if specific neighbourhoods require increased hydrant flushing.
If you experience discoloured water, please run cold water taps until the water runs clear, typically 5-10 minutes. If you have flushed your taps as above and are still experiencing issues, please contact the Municipality at 705-752-1410 or you can e-mail us at info@callander.ca. Remember, comments and inquiries regarding brown water on our social media channels will not be addressed.