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Water Network

The City of Westmount took ownership of the water mains and the public portion of the water services from the City of Montreal in 2006. Learn more about current projects involving the water network, and what to do if you receive a boil water advisory.

Lead Elimination Action Plan

The City of Westmount is committed to proactive intervention to ensure the quality of drinking water on our territory. The City's Lead Elimination Action Plan includes replacing old lead pipes in the public network, and helping residents identify and replace lead pipes on private property, as these affect the quality of drinking water. 

Since taking ownership of the water network from the City of Montreal in 2006, Westmount has been actively replacing lead services through the annual capital works programme as well as through the Public Works’ annual water maintenance programme. Progress can be viewed on an interactive map

Learn More

Lead Elimination Action Plan

Residential water testingPrivate water service replacement subsidy

Should you have any questions about the sampling results at your home, please contact the Engineering Department at 514 989-5377.

Boil Water Advisories

Drinking water distribution may be interrupted due to maintenance and other work on the water main network. Prior to planned interventions, all residents and businesses that may be affected will receive a card indicating the water closure period and any measures that should be taken before, during and after the service interruption. If an unplanned service interruption occurs, a boil-water advisory or do-not-consume advisory will be distributed rapidly throughout the affected area.

If you receive a notice from the City, please read it thoroughly and follow all the instructions. Cards with an orange or red header indicate a preventive boil-water advisory in effect, and cards with a blue header are distributed to confirm the end of the boil-water period.

When and why does the City issue boil-water advisories?

Types of Advisories

There are two types of advisories: preventive and regulatory.

Preventive boil-water advisories are issued as soon as there is a pressure drop in the system. This can occur for various reasons, including:

  • planned maintenance work;
  • an unexpected development, such as a water main rupture or power failure.

When this happens, residents are asked to boil water before consuming it until laboratory testing confirms the quality of the drinking water; this usually takes about 48 hours (see sampling procedures).

If the test results are negative, the boil-water advisory will be lifted and citizens may trust the quality of the water for drinking.

Regulatory boil-water advisories, although rare, are issued when regular testing indicates the presence of bacteria. Residents in the affected areas must then boil their water until they receive notice that the situation is back to normal.

Sampling Procedure

  • Water samples are gathered as quickly as possible in all affected areas and sent to a certified laboratory for testing;
  • A 24-hour incubation time is required to complete the tests;
  • If the results are positive, the boil-water advisory will remain in effect and more samples are collected and sent for analysis. This process is repeated until results are negative.
  • If the results are negative, a notice is sent to residents in the affected area lifting the boil-water advisory.

Notifying Residents

When fewer than one hundred residences are affected, City employees will deliver door hanger cards door-to-door. A second notice is delivered the same way to announce the end of the advisory period. Residents are also encourage to create their account and sign up to notices from the City via the Citizen Portal


For more information, visit the Questions and Answers Regarding Boil-Water Advisories page (in French only) on the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatique website.

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Water Closure and Preventive Boil-Water Advisory Notice

In order to carry out work on the water main network, the distribution of drinking water may be interrupted for a short period in your area.

As a preventive measure, following work on the water main, the City of Westmount asks the public to boil the tap water for at least one minute before consuming it or to use bottled water.

If you experience coloured water, it is recommended to run the tap water for at least five (5) minutes from a bathtub or a washbasin to remove any possible sediment.

As soon as the boil-water advisory is lifted you will receive a similar notice. We regret any inconvenience caused by this preventive measure

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Preventive Boil-Water Advisory Notice

In order to carry out work on the water main network, the distribution of drinking water may be interrupted for a short period in your area.

As a preventive measure, following work on the water main, the City of Westmount asks the public to boil the tap water for at least one minute before consuming it or to use bottled water

Use only boiled water or bottled water for:

  • drinking
  • brushing teeth
  • making ice cubes
  • preparing food
  • washing dishes by hand

You may use water that has not been boiled for:

  • using the dishwasher (make sure they are properly dried)
  • doing laundry
  • taking a shower or a bath (children should be supervised to make sure they do not swallow water during bathtime)

If you experience discoloured water, it is recommended to run the tap for at least five (5) minutes from a bathtub or a washbasin to remove any possible sediment.

As soon as the boil-water advisory is lifted, you will receive a similar notice. We regret any inconvenience caused by this preventive measure.

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Lifting of a Preventive Boil-Water Advisory

Following the Preventive Boil Advisory notice, the City of Westmount announces the end of the boil advisory period.

Tests carried out in conformity with Québec Environment Ministry standards indicate that the water in your sector is safe to use for drinking and all other purposes. We recommend that you take the following precautions :

  • run the water from all faucets and drinking faucets and drinking fountains for at least one minute ;
  • flush hoses and run outdoor taps by flushing or running them for at least one minute.

We regret any inconvenience caused by this preventive measure and thank you for your cooperation during this period.

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Report a Problem with the Water Network

Problems with the water network may be reported to the City online via the Citizen Portal.

Report a problem

24-Hour Emergency Number

Water main break, sudden and serious drop in water pressure, unexplained change in water appearance or any other urgent situation

Telephone: 514 989-5311

General Inquiries (Non-Emergency)

For general questions or non-urgent issues concerning drinking water in Westmount, use the online Contact Us form or phone Westmount Public Works at 514 989-5268 during business hours.