Sanitary Sewer Connections for Property Development

Service connections are pipes that connect the drains from the toilets, showers, sinks, laundry machines and dishwashers in your home or business to the City’s sanitary sewer system.

As a property owner, you are responsible for maintaining your sanitary service connection from the building drain(s) to the property line. Refer to the City of Surrey Sanitary Sewer Bylaw No. 16611 or learn more about your maintenance responsibilities.

New service connections for Single-family homes

This information applies to new service connections for single family homes only. For information on new service connections for other development types, visit our Land Development section.

You can connect to the City's sanitary sewer system if you meet the following criteria:

• There is an existing City sanitary sewer along the full frontage of one or more sides of your property
• The sanitary sewer has capacity to handle the wastewater generated by your property; and,
• Your property is within Metro Vancouver’s Urban Containment Boundary and Fraser Sewerage Area.

Finding your service connection

The type of connection you have depends on the type of sewer system you have. Learn about the different types of sewer systems in Surrey.

• Use COSMOS to locate your property’s utilities' (locations and measurements are not always 100% accurate).
• Check to see if there is a stamping or marked location on the curb or sidewalk:
  • S = Sanitary
  • D = Drainage
  • W = Water
• Check neighbouring properties so see if their chambers are visible and where they are located to get an approximation of City property line and chamber location.

The City does not have information on service connection locations on private property. You may need to hire a plumber to locate the service connection between your home or business and your property line.

The City does not typically allow new service connections to a City forcemain or siphon, or directly to the Metro Vancouver sanitary sewer system. Connections to Metro Vancouver's sanitary sewer system also require Metro Vancouver approval. Review Metro Vancouver's Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299 for more information.

Service connection fees

You are responsible for all costs to connect to the City's sanitary sewer system, even if your property has been pre-serviced. Service connection costs depend on the size and scope of the project, but typically range from $5,000 to $20,000 or more. We can provide a cost estimate to you when you apply for the service connection.

User fees and charges for sanitary services are in the City's Fee Setting Bylaw No. 14577. Fines are outlined in the Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 12508.

Discharge of non-domestic wastewater requires a waste discharge permit from Metro Vancouver as well as approval by the City. View Metro Vancouver's Waste Discharge Permit Application.

Service connection replacement

You must replace your existing sanitary service connection when you are building or renovating your home, if the following applies:

• The value of the building / renovation work is more than $150,000; and,
• The existing service connection is more than 30 years old.

If you are already connected to the city infrastructure and you believe your sanitary and storm laterals may meet the definition of current city standards as per the City of Surrey Supplementary Master Municipal Construction Documents, then you may call the Engineering City Hall Front counter and pay for a video assessment conducted by City Staff. We will see if your existing service meets the specifications without having to fully renew your services. 

Additional conditions may apply. Please refer to the City of Surrey Sanitary Sewer Bylaw No. 16611, contact the Engineering Department at 604-591-4340, or visit us at City Hall (2nd Floor Front Counter) for more information.

Sanitary sewer extensions

Some areas in the City do not have sanitary sewers. Homes and businesses in these areas use private septic field systems to treat and dispose of wastewater. Property owners are responsible for operating and maintaining these private septic field systems.

The City may consider extending the sanitary sewer system to an area when:

• You and your neighbours submit a signed petition for the sanitary sewer extension through the City’s Local Area Service Program;
• A developer or property owner agrees to pay for the sanitary sewer extension. The developer or property owner may be able to recover some of their costs from other property owners.
• The area to be serviced must be located within Metro Vancouver’s Urban Containment Boundary and Fraser Sewerage Area.

If your property is located within one of the City’s Secondary Plan or Neighbourhood Concept Plan areas, a sanitary sewer extension into your area will be driven by future development.

To find out if your property is within one of these areas, check out COSMOS, or call the Engineering Department at 604-591-4340.