The City of Markham delivers clean, safe drinking water to commercial and industrial users!
We’re proud to maintain our state of the art water distribution system. Through a system of pipes, valves, hydrants, pumping stations, and reservoirs, we deliver high quality, reliable drinking water to our businesses and industries.
All businesses connected to Markham's municipal water system must have a water meter. Water meters measure how much water you use and you are charged based on that amount.
The Backflow Prevention Program (PDF) identifies cross connections deemed at risk, and removes or isolates them at water customer buildings or facilities.
The By-law applies to:
All industrial, commercial, and institutional properties.
All multi-residential buildings and structures (For example: Condo buildings, Rental apartment buildings, Townhouse complexes with bulk water meters, etc.)
Single residential properties with: fire protection. lawn sprinkler, or any auxiliary water supply systems.
The program requires:
A “Cross Connection Control Survey” report for each facility. You need to complete this report every five years or when there is a change of property usage.
A “Testing and Inspection” report for each backflow preventer. You need to do this at installation and each year after that.
That all backflow prevention deficiencies identified through the survey or testing reports be fixed.
That all backflow prevention work is done by the Qualified Persons* registered with the City.
* A Qualified Person is a private contractor with the qualifications set out in Markham’s Backflow Prevention By-law.
Everyone has a responsibility to control cross connections and prevent backflows.
City of Markham Responsibilities
The City must:
Administer the Backflow Prevention Program and maintain a program database.
Ensure property owners meet the Backflow Prevention Program requirements.
Monitor By-law compliance and enforce the By-law on non-compliant property owners.
Manage Qualified Persons’ registration and post a list of registered Qualified Persons on the website for customers to reference
Provide assistance and information to property owners to ensure By-law compliance.
Property Owner Responsibilities
The property owners covered by the By-law are required to retain a Qualified Person (PDF) registered with the City at their own expense to complete the following activities:
Cross Connection Control Survey (PDF): carry out an assessment of all plumbing for cross connection control and backflow prevention once every five (5) years or when there is a change of property use.
Property owners should check the registered Qualified Person's insurance coverage and working references. The property owner should also discuss costs before proceeding with any work.
Property owners should log into their backflow prevention account at the "Backflow Prevention Program Online Services" section (see below) regularly. Make sure that there are no incomplete backflow prevention items.
Qualified Person’s Responsibilities
Qualified Persons must register with the City before doing any backflow prevention work in Markham. Qualified Persons must:
Provide Markham with all qualifications as set out in the by-law upon registration.
Keep all qualifications up to date and submit their renewals to Markham
Carry backflow prevention work by following Markham's requirements.
Be responsible for accuracy and any liability arising as a result of an incomplete Survey or incorrect Testing.
Submit all reports under the Program to the City upon the completion of their backflow prevention work and make all submissions through the “Online Services Website” section (see below).
Upon the completion of backflow prevention work, the Qualified Person should complete and submit all reports online through the City's Backflow Prevention Program Online Services (see section below).
Online submission is free, fast, easy, secure, and available 24/7.
Paper submission is not free. The City of Markham charges a processing fee for each paper submission.
You will need a building permit from our Building Department for some backflow preventer work.
These jobs require a building permit:
Installation of a new testable backflow preventer
Replacement of an existing testable backflow preventer
Relocation of an existing testable backflow preventer
This job does not require a building permit:
Install, replace or relocate a non-testable backflow preventer
Remove an existing testable backflow preventer. You should still submit a Backflow Preventer Removal Form and get the City's approval before you start the removal.
Please visit our Building Permits section or contact our Building Department at 905.475.4870 for details.
Fees Imposed to the non-compliant Property Owners by the City:
2023 Rate
Backflow Prevention Compliance Processing Fee – $278.00 This Fee only applies to property owners who have received Markham's Order to Comply notice but failed to comply with the Backflow Prevention By-law within the compliance timeframe indicated on the notice.
Fees Imposed to the Registered Qualified Persons by the City:
2023 Rate
Manually Processing Fee for a Test Report – $33.50
Manually Processing Fee for a Survey Report – $66.50
Manually Processing Fee for a Device Upgrade Report – $50.00
An invoice will be sent to the registered Qualified Person who submitted the Report in paper format and requires manually processing from the City.
All registered Qualified Persons and Property Owners should use the online services website. The online services website is secure, cost-effective, and environmental friendly way for the City to administer the Backflow Prevention Program.
City laws regulate what can and can’t go into our sanitary and storm sewer system. Our Sewer Use By-law has defined limits for substances such as pH, oil and grease, suspended solids, and more.
Markham has a Sewer Use By-law in place to protect our sewer system and our source water.
Why Does Markham Need a Sewer Use By-Law?
Markham's Sewer Use By-law protects sewer systems, streams, and lakes. The by-law also limits the discharge of substances that may:
Impact the safe operation of Markham’s sewers
Adversely affect public health, property, or the environment
Markham's Waterworks Department ensures compliance. It monitors and samples discharges into Markham's sewers. The by-law applies to all discharges. These include:
In 2010, Markham established a Sewer Use Compliance Program. It focuses on industrial and commercial discharges into the sewer system.
The Sewer Use Compliance Program covers:
Sampling and monitoring industrial and commercial discharges
Notifying responsible parties of by-law violations
Investigating sewer use complaints
Investigating and repairing damages to City sewers caused by discharge violations
Laying charges after repeat violations
Recovering costs for system repairs through legal action from responsible parties
Waterworks staff sample and test industrial and commercial discharges. If a test result exceeds the by-law limits, the liable party will receive a violation notice from the City. Markham's notice requires the liable party to take the corrective actions within a specified timeframe. Repeat violators may be charged. Any by-law violation that causes damage to the sewer system will be investigated and repaired. The responsible parties will pay for the costs.
You must control the pH level in your sewage. If waste with a pH level outside the 6 to 10.5 range is released into sewer, it can quickly cause significant damage and/or blockages.
Controlling the pH Level in Your Sewage Video - For Industrial & Commercial Properties
Fats, oil, and grease build up in sewers and cause blockage over time. Sewer blockages will create sewer backup in homes. You need to properly dispose fats, oil, and grease from your property.
Businesses within Markham that have sewage discharges not in compliance with the by-law, may need to make major changes to come into compliance. These changes could impact their facilities and production processes. There are two solutions: (1) Compliance Program, or (2) Surcharge Agreement.
(1) Compliance Program
Businesses may apply to enter into the Compliance Program. Under the Compliance Program – with certain conditions and timeframes – businesses will be temporarily allowed to discharge their sewage not complying with the by-law.
The program gives businesses a reasonable timeframe to implement all required corrective actions.
Markham has a joint effort with York Region to cover some sewage substances exceeding the by-law limits. These include:
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)
Total Phosphorus (TP)
Phenolic Compounds (4AAP)
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
The Surcharge Agreement is currently managed by York Region. The businesses within Markham may be allowed to enter into a surcharge agreement with York Region for these substances listed above. However, the surcharge agreement only applies to 5 substances and not for other substances.
If you need to temporarily discharge groundwater or surface water into Markham’s sanitary or storm sewer system, you must submit an application and get approval from the City. This temporary water discharge could come from activities such as: extracting groundwater at construction sites, emptying tank, cleaning pond, etc.
In some cases, you may need to obtain additional approval from York Region because Markham's sewer system is integrated with York Region’s sewer system. Markham staff will advise you when the additional approval is required.
Markham residents, and businesses within Markham not served by the City’s sewer system, may take their hauled wastewater to a wastewater facility designated by York Region.
Markham sells water in bulk to builders and contractors
This water can be used for new or existing construction, new water mains, and utility locate services.
Markham sells water in bulk at a rate of $5.45952 per cubic metre. This water goes through an automated water station located at 555 Miller Avenue. You can purchase key fobs at the Civic Centre, and pick up at 8100 Warden Avenue.
Note: Please call 905-477-5530 or email us at bulkwater@markham.ca to book an appointment prior to making your purchase. Commercial water suppliers or contractors can hook up to the water station 24 hours a day. You’ll need a 75 millimetre (3 inch) female end cam-couple hose assembly. You must have your own hose.
Remember, please be kind to our neighbours. No Idling or Littering at the bulk water stations.
You can also get bulk water from a fire hydrant if you have a permit. Water purchased from a fire hydrant is sold at the same rate as the automated water station. Please contact Markham's Contact Centre at 905.477.5530.
You can’t use a fire hydrant without a permit. It’s illegal and can cause damage to the hydrant. It can also contaminate our drinking water.
