Toronto 311 Primary
311
Billing, water quality, leaks, sewer backups and watermain breaks.
TW
Toronto Water customer service and complaints
Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater for Toronto
Provisional entry
Checked 2 Nov 2026
City of Toronto — Toronto Water
Toronto Water handles drinking water, wastewater and stormwater for Canada's largest city. Most billing and service requests start with 311; urgent sewer backups and watermain breaks should be reported immediately.
Step one
Ways to contact Toronto Water
311 online
Submit a request
Use for non-emergency service requests.
Step two
How to complain about Toronto Water
Work through the stages in order. Each one creates the paper trail the next stage needs.
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1
Stage 1
Contact Toronto Water and open a complaint
Straight away
Report the billing or service problem to Toronto Water. Ask for a complaint or service request number and the department handling it.
Use the phone, 311 line or online form on this page.
For water quality, ask whether there is a boil-water advisory or nearby main work.
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2
Stage 2
Ask for the municipal complaint process
Within a few days
Request the written complaint procedure, review stages and timelines. Put your complaint in writing with evidence.
Email the utility and keep the reply.
Ask which committee or board reviews unresolved utility complaints.
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3
Stage 3
Escalate to the city or municipal board
After the utility's response
Depending on the structure, escalate to the city council, utility board or a municipal ombudsman. Public records and delegations can move a stalled case.
Find the delegation or complaint review process.
Keep your delegation short and evidence-based.
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4
Stage 4
Contact the provincial ombudsman
After the municipal process ends
If the municipality's process was unfair or incomplete, the provincial ombudsman may review it. Eligibility rules differ by province.
Check the ombudsman's jurisdiction and filing requirements.
The ombudsman reviews fairness and process, not the size of the bill.
Step three
Formal complaint letter template
Formal complaint letter template (Canada water). Copy it, fill in the bracketed fields and keep a dated copy.
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your email]
[Your phone]
[Date]
Toronto Water
Customer Service
Account number: [account number]
Service address: [service address]
Dear Customer Service,
I am writing to make a formal complaint about my water and sewer service.
What happened
[Explain the billing, leak, pressure, water-quality or service issue and give dates. Include meter readings and photos.]
What I want
[State the remedy you want: bill adjustment, repair, testing, reimbursement or a written explanation.]
Please respond in writing by [date]. If the issue is not resolved, I intend to escalate it through the municipal complaint process and, if necessary, the provincial ombudsman.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your email]
[Your phone]
[Date]
Toronto Water
Customer Service
Account number: [account number]
Service address: [service address]
Dear Customer Service,
I am writing to make a formal complaint about my water and sewer service.
What happened
[Explain the billing, leak, pressure, water-quality or service issue and give dates. Include meter readings and photos.]
What I want
[State the remedy you want: bill adjustment, repair, testing, reimbursement or a written explanation.]
Please respond in writing by [date]. If the issue is not resolved, I intend to escalate it through the municipal complaint process and, if necessary, the provincial ombudsman.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Send it by a method you can prove — email with read receipt, or tracked post — and keep the reference number.
If it is not fixed
Escalate to the regulator
Use these routes only after the provider has had a fair chance to respond, or if they have breached a published deadline.
Questions
Toronto Water FAQ
Who do I call about a Toronto water bill?
Call 311 for billing questions and service requests. Keep your account number and meter readings. For a dispute, ask for the complaint to be escalated through the city's customer service process.
What should I do about a sewer backup?
Call 311 immediately and keep clear of contaminated water. Photograph the damage for insurance and ask whether the city will inspect the sewer. Do not attempt electrical repairs in a flooded area.
Who handles water billing complaints in Canada?
Start with the municipal utility that bills you. If it is not resolved, use the city's complaint process, council or utility board. The provincial ombudsman may review how the municipality handled the complaint.
Who handles drinking-water quality concerns?
The utility and your provincial environment ministry or drinking-water regulator. For health concerns, follow any boil-water advisory and contact your local public health unit.
Is there a national water regulator in Canada?
No. Most water systems are municipal, and the province sets drinking-water standards. There is no national utility regulator for household water billing. Start with the city utility, then the provincial Ombudsman for fairness issues.
Sources
Where this information comes from
Provisional entry
Compiled from official provider and regulator pages, last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contact details change — confirm on the official page before relying on them.
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