Emergencies: Questions & Answers
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Utilities Kingston is available 24 hours a day to respond to utility-service emergencies.
Here are some signs:
- Water leak
- Sewer backup
- Natural Gas smell
- Power outage
- Malfunctioning Traffic Lights
For emergency services phone us at 546-1181 any time of the day. After regular business hours, you
will be able to reach emergency-service support by pressing the 0 key on your touch-tone phone pad (or
by holding for an operator).
For general inquiries you can reach Utilities Kingston's customer service department by calling
546-0000. Our customer serice centre is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
PROPERTY OWNERS
ELECTRIC
GAS
WATER
SEWAGE
A:
Call Utilities Kingston at 546-1181 before you dig. Are you putting in fence posts, planting a tree,
excavating for a pool, deck or new addition? Before you dig, think about what services might be buried
in the ground. There could be electrical services, gas pipelines, as well as water and sewer connections
in both your front and back yard.
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Persons making a property damage claim against the City of Kingston must submit their claims in writing
within 10 days of the loss to:
City of Kingston
Attn: City Clerk
City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2Z3
Your written submission must describe the circumstances of the event that resulted in property
damage - where, what, when, how and who (including the names of any contractors involved). Also, include
your name and the telephone number(s) where you can be reached.
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Upon receipt of your claim, an investigation begins. This includes visiting the claim location, if appropriate, as well as obtaining internal and external
documentation, and speaking to employees and/or contractors who may have some knowledge of the situation. Upon completion of the investigation, you will be notified of the results in writing.
Like most Canadian municipalities, the City of Kingston provides compensation only when it is legally liable for the damage sustained. The intent is to
provide an equitable policy for the taxpaying public, who ultimately bear the cost of these claims.
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Utilities Kingston is available 24 hours a day to respond to utility-service emergencies like a power outage in
the City Central. Phone us any time of the day. If you require Electric service in the West or East areas of the City please contact Hydro One.
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Periodically, scheduled interruptions are required to perform maintenance on our system or to your meter.
These infrequent interruptions are intended to be of short duration. If an outage is planned for your area,
you will be notified. Unplanned interruptions are usually a direct result of storm damage, vehicle accidents, animals, or other unexpected events.
Our crews respond to restore power as soon as possible. We recommend that all property owners maintain a kit which includes candles, a flashlight,
batteries and a battery powered radio. During extended power outages, Utilities Kingston provides updated status reports to all local radio stations.
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Yes. Utilities Kingston is responsible for operating and maintaining streetlights for the entire City.
Call us at 546-0000. Please give us a description of the location of the streetlight or the number of the pole.
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Please report a malfunctioning traffic light to us at 546-1181 any time of the day. Inform us of the nature
of the problem and the location so we can quickly dispatch a crew to repair the light.
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Natural gas is odourless. As a safety feature, an odour is added to natural gas - it smells like rotten eggs. If you smell gas or hear the flow of escaping gas (a hissing sound), follow these steps immediately:
- Open the doors and windows to let fresh air into your house. If the smell is strong or is accompanied by a "hissing" noise, get everyone out of your home, leaving the windows and doors open to allow air to enter.
- Don't use your phone or cell phone. Call Utilities Kingston from a neighbour's home or pay phone.
- Do not use matches, lighters, electrical switches, appliances or your telephone.
- Do not re-enter the building, until Utilities Kingston has declared it safe to do so.
- We will investigate leaks as a free service, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
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Natural gas is one of the world's safest sources of energy. However, it is highly flammable and, like any burning fuels, it can produce carbon monoxide.
For your safety and peace of mind, Utilities Kingston provides 24-hour emergency service every day of the year. For information on using gas safely in your home, please call us at 546-0000.
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It is important to keep the area around your gas meter free of snow and ice and to clear a path to the meter
for easy access. Blocked regulator vents can dangerously over pressure the system, affect appliance operation and interrupt service. Please ensure that
snow from shovelling, plowing or snowblowing doesn't get piled up around the meter area and to use a broom to remove snow from the meter.
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Watermains run underneath the roadway and supply freshwater to the private services connected to it.
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Private service refers to the pipe that brings water from the watermain to your building. The maintenance of the private service is the property
owner's responsibility.
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A watermain or waterpipe has probably broken on your street. Please call us immediately at 546-1181.
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Yes. Many insurance policies cover cleanup and the cost of repairing or replacing water-damaged property. Your agent can provide full details.
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Utilities Kingston manages water and sewer services on behalf of the City of Kingston. Inquires regarding
property damage should be directed to the Corporation of the City of Kingston. Follow the procedures outlined above for property damage claim inquiries.
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Utilities Kingston values the input received from our customers. Comments or questions about the City's
drinking water are always welcome. Please call our Water Quality Assurance Operators at 389-0562. You can view
our Quarterly Drinking Water Reports online.
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The most common causes of sewer backup are:
- putting items down your drain that should be put into your garbage (e.g. diapers and grease),
- invasive tree roots, and
- sewer pipe problems (sewer lateral and/or City sewer)
The sewer lateral is the responsibility of the owner of the property from the house to the street. The
property owner can do many things to prevent his/her line from backing up. Regular maintenance, camera inspection and being careful about the ways
you dispose of certain products will help to cause fewer backups. You can discover many ways to avoid a sewer backup on our web site.
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A sewer lateral or house lateral is the pipeline between the building and the City sewer main, usually
located in the street. The sewer lateral is owned and maintained by the property owner including any part, which may extend into the street or public right of way.
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The City sewer runs underneath the road, collecting waste from sewer laterals and transporting it to a sewage treatment plant.
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Call Utilities Kingston at 546-1181 for 24-hour service. If applicable, we will dispatch a crew to investigate and clear sewer connections. Rates will be charged
to the property owner according to the current City of Kingston Rate Review.
To minimize damage, avoid using your plumbing until the problem has been resolved.
The property owner is responsible for maintaining adequate flow to and through the sewer lateral from the property structure to and into the City sewer.
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Yes. Many insurance policies cover sewage backup cleanup and the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property. Your agent can provide full details.
The City urges you to check with your home insurer regarding the availability of sewer backup insurance coverage.
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