Item - 2020.IE15.10

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the General Manager, Toronto Water to report back by first quarter of 2021 on the viability of introducing to Toronto a water and sewer line warranty program for the City of Toronto and its residents.

Toronto’s residential property owners are responsible for the maintenance of private buried water and sewer lines that run from the public services to the connection of the exterior of the home. When these lines break, leak or clog, the homeowner is often surprised to learn that homeowner’s insurance does not cover the cost of an often expensive repair. Sixty five Ontario municipalities, including Ottawa, Kingston, Peel, Hamilton and Windsor, currently have a Water and Sewer Line and In-Home Plumbing Repair Program. Once such maintenance program has performed 1.3 million repairs in the last three years alone across North America. This is an option and value added the residents of Toronto might be seriously interested in. Such a program triggers no liability for the City of Toronto and only approved contractors can participate.