Before buying, adding a unit or developing a property, establish how it receives drinking water and disposes of sewage. A zoning answer alone does not establish servicing capacity or permission to connect.
Municipal water and sanitary sewer
Durham Region provides municipal water and sanitary sewer services in serviced areas. Ask the Region whether services are available at your address, whether your proposal needs a new or changed connection, and what design, capacity, charges and inspection requirements apply. Availability nearby is not a guarantee that your lot can connect.
Private wells and septic systems
A property outside a serviced area may depend on a well or septic system. Establish who approves the specific work and what records are available. Ask about system capacity and setbacks before proposing additional bedrooms, units or buildings. Do not assume a municipal sewer process applies to a private system.
Drainage is a separate question
Stormwater, grading and overland drainage are different from sanitary sewage. Ask local engineering staff about lot grading, stormwater controls and nearby infrastructure. A conservation authority may also need to review work near a watercourse, wetland or regulated hazard area.
Questions to take to staff
- Is this property connected, eligible to connect, or privately serviced?
- Will the proposed use change demand or require a servicing study?
- Which authority reviews each connection, grading and drainage component?
- What permits, agreements, inspections and fees must be confirmed before work?
Prepare your address, existing servicing information, a project sketch and the expected change in use. Obtain project-specific answers from the municipality, Durham Region, or both.
See how responsibilities overlap · Building-permit guide
Independent summary reviewed October 1, 2026. Based on Durham Region’s water and sewer service information. Requirements can change; this is not an approval or a substitute for official advice.