Water & Sewer Services

Please contact the Water and Sewer Billing Department to set up your account, and ensure that a final reading is scheduled for the closing date if required.  Water and sewer bills are sent every two months directly from the Town of Hanover. 

2024 Water and Sewage Rates

Water & Wastewater Services Rules & Regulations – By-law No. 2839-14

If a final reading has been requested, your first bill will cover the period from your date of occupancy to the next regular reading date in your area.

Residential/Commercial/Apartments/Institutional - North of & including 10th Street

• Last business day of January | March | May | July | September | November

Residential/Commercial/Apartments/Institutional - South of 10th Street

• Last business day of Feb/Apr/June/Aug/Oct/Dec

Industrial - All

• Last business day of each month

The Town of Hanover offers four convenient payment options:

1.  Pre-authorized Payment Plan

• The pre-authorized payment plan option:
  
  Installment plan – 6 times per year on the due date
• Pre-authorized payment plan offers the following benefits:
  • No cheques to write
  • Saves on postage
  • No worries about overdue payments
  • No line-ups at the municipal office
  • No parking concerns
• The PAP is an easy way to pay your water bill. The payments are withdrawn from your account automatically on the due date. You receive your bill as usual so that you know the date and amount of the withdrawal. No more cheques to write, payments lost in the mail, or late charges!  Download our Pre-authorized Payment Plan Application Form, attach a cheque marked "VOID", and mail or drop off at our office located at 341 10^th Street Hanover.

2.  By Mail

• Town of Hanover
  
  341 10th Street
  
  Hanover, ON N4N 1P5

3.  By Telephone or Internet Banking

• Use your 10 digit customer number located in the top right hand corner of your water/sewer invoice as your account number for electronic payments.  Having trouble setting up your electronic account?  Contact your banking institution or call our office at 519.364.2780 x 1221. 

4.  In Person

• You may pay in person Monday to Friday, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm (excluding statutory holidays) at 341 10th Street in Hanover.  Bring your entire water bill with you. You may pay by cheque, cash or debit card.  An after hours courtesy mail slot is located at the right side of the front door at the Civic Office entrance.

Payment must be received at the Municipal Office by the due date to avoid penalty.  When sending payments by mail or paying by internet or telephone banking please allow 2-3 business days.

Payments are not accepted at bank teller or automatic banking machines (ABM).

Water meters will stop recording, but it is highly unlikely that it will speed up.  The only thing that will cause the reading to change is water going through the meter.  You can check the reading on your meter in the basement to be sure it wasn't recorded incorrectly, and if it is indeed higher than the ending reading shown on your bill, that is the amount of water used during the billing period. If there is no change in your circumstances (additional person, new dishwasher etc.) that would cause you to use more water, you likely have a leak in your system.  See "How do I check for leaks?"

Leaks cost you money. Checking for leaks can make a difference to your water bill.

8 Hour Test

To test your entire plumbing system for a continual leak, read your meter at some time during the day or evening when water will not be used for at least the next eight hours. Record the reading. At the end of the eight-hour period, compare that reading to the original reading. If the readings are identical, your system has no leaks. If the readings are different, and no water has been used, this confirms that you have a system leak and you should identify the source of the leak. 

Not sure where your meter is? Look for a large brass unit on the water line in your basement. It is usually at the front of the house where the water service comes in from the street. There may be a digital readout, or a series of dials - one for each number of the reading.

Inspect any fixtures that are connected to your water supply such as:

• Toilets - the most common problem - may have a continuous or intermittent leak
• Household taps - a slow drip wastes 75 litres a day; a 1/8" stream wastes 1,816 litres in a day
• Water heaters and softeners
• Hot water heating systems - check the pressure release / overflow too
• Furnace humidifiers
• Water-cooled air conditioners
• Sprinkler systems - lawn or fire

How can I check my toilet for leaks?

Quick Check

Look at the water level in the toilet tank. It should be about ½" below the top of the intake tube to the toilet. If it is higher than that, adjust the level of the float.

Slow leak

Mark the level of the water in the tank. Turn off the water supply valve located behind the toilet bowl. Wait at least an hour, making sure no one uses the toilet in this time. If the water level has dropped, you have a leak.

Dye Testing

You will need food colouring or dye test tablets (available at many hardware and plumbing supply stores). Place a dye tablet or several drops of food colouring in the toilet tank. Do not flush. Wait about 15-20 minutes.  If the colour seeps into the toilet bowl, this indicates a leak.

Intermittent leak

An intermittent leak can be very difficult to detect. If the handle has to be "jiggled" to stop the toilet from running, or a flapper doesn't always seal properly you have an intermittent leak. If not repaired, either of these can add up to a lot of water used.

Here are some ideas to conserve water in and around your home:

Toilets

• Don't use the toilet as a garbage can! This wastes a lot of water, and can overload the sewage treatment plant, so toss those tissues and swabs in a waste basket.
• For toilets larger than 6 litres (1.3 gallons), fill a plastic bottle with water and sink it in the tank. This reduces the volume of water in the tank, but still provides enough for flushing.

Bath / Shower

• Take a shorter shower. Shortening a 10 minute shower to 5 minutes can save up to 40 litres.
• Turn off the water while you lather up, and turn it on again to rinse.
• Shower instead of bathing - showers with low-flow showerheads often use less water than taking a bath. To compare, put the plug in while you shower to see how much the tub fills up.
• If a shower is not available, try reducing the amount of water you use in the bathtub by 5 cm (2 inches).
• Plug the drain before you run your bath water.
• Install water-efficient showerheads, and flow restrictors. A showerhead should have a flow rate below 11 litres (2.5 gallons) per minute to be water-efficient.

Bathroom Sink

• Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, and fill a cup for rinsing.
• Plug the basin drain for face washing and shaving.

In the Kitchen

• Install faucet aerators to mix air with the water, reducing water flow and minimizing splashing.
• Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running water from the tap until it becomes cold wastes water.
• When washing fruits or vegetables, plug the sink drain or use a small pan of water, rather than running water.
• When washing dishes by hand, don't wash or rinse with running water. Use tubs or plug the sink.
• Instead of filling one sink for washing and another for rinsing, place washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them all at once with a spray of water.
• Sink garbage disposals use hundreds of litres of water each week, and increase the load for water treatment plants. Save on your water bill and compost.  Your lawn will love it, too.
• Scrape dishes into the garbage instead of rinsing them with running water before putting in the dishwasher.
• Never run the dishwasher if it’s not full. This will save water, energy, detergent, and money.

Out of Doors

• Collect water in a rain barrel.
• Use a pail to wash and rinse your car so you only need a light rinse to get rid of the soap.
• To eliminate water-spots on your clean car, consider using rain water harvested with a rain barrel for that final rinse.
• Sweep sidewalks and driveways instead of using a hose.
• Cover swimming pools when not in use to reduce evaporation.
• Use a bucket and squeegee to wash windows.
• Turn off your fountain when you're not there to enjoy it.
• When cleaning outdoor ponds, use the waste water for lawns and gardens

The Town of Hanover's ODD/EVEN days rule applies on lawn watering only.  If your house number ends in an odd number, you can water your lawn on odd numbered days.  If your house number ends in an even number, you can do so on even numbered days.  The Town has no restrictions on car washing.