In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, Utilities Kingston is taking additional steps to help customers with their water and sewer bills. These include extending the Conservation Rate for water bills, and extending payment arrangements for customers who are experiencing hardship.

First and foremost, before falling behind on utility bill payments, contact us for assistance. We want to work with you to help. Contact our credit department using our online payment assistance form.  A member of our team will review your request and respond by email or phone call, as quickly as possible. Alternatively, you can call us at 613-546-1181, ext. 2278, Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. 

Water Conservation Rate

Starting today, residential water customers will be exempt from the High Usage Rate of $1.7451 per cubic metre, which normally applies to water consumption over 25 cubic metres per month.

This means that customers will pay the Conservation Rate of $1.3961 per cubic metre, even if they use more than 25 cubic metres per month. Utilities Kingston intends to maintain this price until June 15 when watering restrictions come into effect. (***Update on June 11: the Conservation Rate has now been extended to Dec. 31, 2020.)

The price change applies automatically – no customer action is required. Customers will benefit for a 25 per cent rate reduction, for usage above 25 cubic metres.

Utilities Kingston is taking this step to help customers who are using more water, while sheltering or self-isolating at home.

Extended payment arrangements

If you are concerned about paying your bill, please call us about extended payment arrangements for your water and sewer bill. Contact our credit department using our online payment assistance form.  A member of our team will review your request and respond by email or phone call, as quickly as possible. Alternatively, you can call us at 613-546-1181, ext. 2278, Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. 

Helping customers and offering assistance

We at Utilities Kingston recognize that this is a difficult time. We’re here to support you. If you are concerned about paying your bill, experiencing hardship, or have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, please call us to discuss extended bill payment options and financial assistance programs.

In addition to the new measures explained above, we are assisting customers by:

• Temporarily suspending disconnecting customers for non-payment.
• Offering flexible payment terms and arrears payment agreements for water, sewer, gas and electricity bills, in order to provide customers with more time to pay outstanding balances on their account, if needed. 
• Supporting Ontario’s decision regarding off-peak time-of-use prices for electricity customers.

We will continue to issue late notices to customers who fall behind in their obligations, but will not send disconnection notices or disconnect residential services until further notice.

Get additional information on the electricity portion of your bill.

Save water and money

To help save water and money, we support customers in their water conservation efforts. For one-on-one assistance, call 613-546-0000 and say ‘conservation’.  You can also refer to our water conservation tips.

Did you know? Leaky plumbing in your home can damage your property, decrease your home’s water efficiency, and increase your home’s water consumption and utility bill. Learn how to detect, correct and prevent leaks.