Water Meter Replacement Program

Kawartha Lakes is in the midst of a multi-year water meter replacement program that aims to upgrade all aged water meters identified by the municipality. There is no cost to homeowners or occupants to participate in this project. The installations will be completed by the municipality's contractor Wamco.

Please note that this is a mandatory program. Having a working water meter is required under the municipality's Water Meter By-law 2021-162.

Follow us on Facebook for updates.

Benefits of the program

The water meter replacement program is necessary to ensure improved wireless two-way communication between your water meter and the municipality’s water metering infrastructure. Other benefits of this project include:

  • Improved water meter reading accuracy. If the resident's water meter was previously over registering or under-registering, the new water meter will now measure the water usage accurately.
  • Ability for the City staff to conduct remote water meter readings. The new meter technology will communicate wirelessly with the municipality and eliminate the need for a technician to enter your property to manually read your meter.
  • The future ability to identify leaks within the system before they become a larger issue.
  • The future ability for residents to track their water usage through an online portal.

About your appointment

It is important that you schedule your appointment within one week of receiving your notice, so that the program can proceed on time.

When installers are in your area, you will receive a brochure and notice letter. Make sure to book an appointment that corresponds to the 'zone' number noted in the top right hand corner of the letter. Appointments are scheduled in 2-hour windows. For example, if an appointment is made for 11am, an installer will be there anytime between 11am and 1pm. If the Wamco installer is running late to your appointment, you will be notified as soon as possible.

Book an appointment by calling Wamco at 1-833-926-2626 or use the form below to book online.

Once you have scheduled your appointment, you can request an email confirmation by providing your email address. Additionally, a text or email reminder will be sent to you the day before your scheduled appointment.

Program Status

Area
Zone
Appointments Completed
Start
End
Status
Lindsay South   Zone 6 1,396 February 2025 End of 2025 In progress
Lindsay North Zone 5 1,651 March 2024 March 31, 2025 Completed
Lindsay East Zone 4 921 January 2024 December 31, 2024 Completed
Fenelon Falls Zone 3 561 August 2023 September 30, 2024 Completed
Bobcaygeon Zone 1
Zone 2		 1,143 June 2023 July 31, 2024 Completed

Are you in the program?

Find out by using the interactive map below:

Important

If you have not received a letter, your property has not been identified for a water meter replacement at this time. Not all meters in an area will require replacement.

Please wait until you receive a letter before booking an appointment. Installers are currently working in designated areas and are unable to deviate from their scheduled routes.

Online Booking - Zone 6

Schedule your water meter replacement appointment below:

How to prepare for your appointment

  • A responsible adult (18 years or older) must be available for the full duration of the appointment.

  • Make sure the area where your water meter is located is clear and easily accessible. If your water meter requires additional maintenance to make the surrounding area accessible, please have that work completed before your appointment.

  • Water meters are located inside your home near the main shut-off valve where the water service lines enter your home – usually in the basement.

  • The new water meter will require an area about 14" wide x 14" high x 6" deep. This will allow space for the new water meter and any necessary plumbing fittings.

    • If your water meter is located behind drywall or a panel, the Wamco installer will cut a small section to gain access to the main shut-off valve. The water meter may require maintenance in the future, therefore the hole cannot be permanently covered.

If you are the tenant: Please advise the property owner that the water meter requires replacement. They are required to provide easy access to the City owned water meter for City-authorized staff or contractors to complete the installation of a new meter.

What to expect during your apppointment

The appointment will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. During this time, the Wamco installer will:

  1. Turn off your water before the work begins.
  2. Remove the existing water meter and install a new water meter inside the home.    
  3. Install an outside water meter reader (radio read box) over the existing reader, usually located outside your home. If an outside water meter reader does not exist, Wamco will install one for you. This will be done by running a wire from the inside water meter to the outside water meter reader.
  4. When the work is done, the technician will turn the water back on.

How to identify a Wamco installer

  • Wamco installers will wear an identification tag with Kawartha Lakes and Wamco logos, be in a Wamco uniform, and have identification on their vehicle with both Wamco and the City of Kawartha Lakes logos.
  • Wamco installers have received the proper training and certification necessary to perform water meter installations within the Province of Ontario.
Important: Installers will not show up at your door without a scheduled appointment. To confirm the identification of a Wamco installer, please contact Wamco at 1-833-926-2626.

Questions after your appointment?

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Wamco call center at 1-833-926-2626. In the event you are unable to reach their team immediately, kindly leave a message including your name, property address, contact details, and the reason for your call. Wamco will promptly respond to your inquiry.

Wamco staff are trained and qualified to answer all your questions related to the program and your appointment.

For weekends or after hour emergencies, please contact 1-877-885-7337.

Water Meter Replacement Program FAQs

No. There is no charge to the property owner or occupant for the replacement of the water meter.

Meter replacements are being completed on a zone-by-zone basis. When technicians are in your area, you will receive a brochure and notice in the mail with more detailed information, including instructions on how to book an appointment.

The municipality has added all the areas targeted for the program. These areas will give you an idea of the program status and the areas included in the water meter replacement program.

No. Simply visit the booking site or call Wamco toll free at 1-833-926-2626 to modify or cancel your appointment at no charge.

The typical life of a meter is 15 to 20 years. Like most mechanical devices, they eventually need to be replaced. In other cases, municipalities can decide that it is time to upgrade the meter so that it is compatible with the latest meter reading technology.

In either of the above cases, the City has carefully selected which meters need to be replaced or upgraded. Not all homes/businesses in your area need to have their meters replaced.

Installers will not show up at your door without a scheduled appointment. You can also ask to see the installer's identification, or call 1-833-926-2626 to confirm an installer's identity.

If you receive a call, or someone arrives at your door and you are unsure, do not book the appointment or let the person inside your home. Call Wamco's Service Centre at 1-833-926-2626 to confirm it is Wamco’s staff.

Yes, your water service will be temporarily interrupted during your appointment. A technician will turn off your water before the work begins and when the work is done, the technician will turn the water back on.

The data collected by this system is used for billing purposes. It is also being used for the City and property owner/occupant to determine consumption.

In the future: This can be viewed in the customer portal, with notifications to let you know when your set consumption point is reached and notify you of any potential leak detection.

Protecting your data is a top priority. Access to account information is restricted to authorized staff who need the data to perform important functions, including improved billing and customer service. The transmitter that sends your meter reading has a unique identifier that is transmitted along with the read data. This identifier is compared electronically to your account record to ensure that the meter reading matches the meter assigned to your account.

If you have already booked your appointment, please disregard the notice as there is a slight crossover period between our mailing team and customers booking appointments.

To ensure you are removed from the mailing list, please contact watermeters@kawarthalakes.ca with your property address and date of replacement.

This is the final attempt to contact you about having this mandatory work done on your property. You are required to book an appointment with the City’s contractor Wamco to gain access to your property to avoid non-compliance fees.

The City of Kawartha Lakes maintains the water meter at no cost providing you take precautions not to damage it. Water meters typically don't require regular maintenance as they are designed to function for many years without any issues.

More questions?

If you have any questions, please email watermeters@kawarthalakes.ca

Contact Us

Kawartha Lakes 
P.O. Box 9000, 26 Francis Street
Lindsay, ON, K9V 5R8
Telephone: 705-324-9411
Toll free at 1-888-822-2225
After-hours emergencies: 1-877-885-7337

This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.