Water Network

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

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.

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.

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.

Although rare, regulatory boil-water advisories 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.

• 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.

When fewer than one hundred (100) 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.

Since 2007, the City of Westmount has been actively replacing lead water services with copper pipes. To date, 45% of these have been replaced across Westmount’s territory. An owner may request the replacement of the public portion of a lead water service connected to their property if the private portion has already been fitted with copper pipes.

To be eligible:

• A home water analysis carried out by the City or by an accredited laboratory must demonstrate the presence of lead.
• The public portion of the water service must be made of lead.
• The private portion of the water service must be made of copper.
• The owner, or their legal representative, must fill and submit the form below.

All requests will be evaluated by the City’s Engineering Department, who will then contact the owner, or their representative, for additional information. Each request will be processed according to the City’s planning constraints.

Learn more about recent or upcoming lead service replacement projects in Westmount.

Need help? Contact assistance@westmount.org or phone 514 989-5200.

Request form