In short
- The pipe underground between the water main and your house is the water service pipe. Report a frozen one to 3-1-1.
- The City thaws free on municipal property. On private property it charges the cost of the work plus 15%, each time.
- Condominium corporations and other private streets get no City thaw service.
- A plumber thawing an intact pipe in the house ran $200–$500 on a Canada-wide guide. A pipe that cracked ran $500–$2,000.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thawing a frozen pipe that held | $200–$500 | Canada-wide HomeStars guide |
| Frozen pipe that cracked or split | $500–$2,000 | Same guide; same range as a burst pipe repair |
| Thawing on private property by the City | Cost of the work + 15% | City of Ottawa fee; applies each time the City thaws |
| Thawing on municipal property | Free | City of Ottawa |
| Frozen main line and septic tank, three days of work | $7,458.89 | One Ottawa firm’s published job in Kinburn; an extreme case |
Sources. City of Ottawa, Frozen water service pipes, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, How Much Does Drain Pipe Repair Cost in Canada?, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Ottawa, Frozen Pipe Repair Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026 (one firm’s job example). Insurance Bureau of Canada, Flood and water, seen 29.10.2026.
Two pipes, two answers
When the taps run dry in January, the cause sits in one of two places. The City describes the water service pipe as the underground line from its water main to your building. If that line freezes, water stops reaching every tap in the house. A freeze in the plumbing inside the house, in a garage, an exterior wall or a crawl space, tends to leave other taps working.
The first goes to 3-1-1 and the City. The second goes to a plumber. Say in the request which one you suspect, or that you are unsure.
What the City does
Call 3-1-1 to report a frozen service pipe. The City asks you to clear snow from the outside shut-off valve and a path to the shut-off inside, and to move furniture and breakables near it. The City calls ahead when it can and leaves a direct number if you miss the call. Waits vary with the number of requests, so 3-1-1 tells you the current wait.
Fees depend on where the pipe froze. Thawing on municipal property costs the owner nothing. On private property the City charges the cost of the work plus 15%, each time. A private street or a condominium corporation gets no service.
Where thawing is slow, the City may run a temporary hose from a neighbour’s yard. The City says water through a hose is safe to drink and that both homes keep a tap running to stop the hose from freezing. Both bills follow earlier use, adjusted in late spring or early summer.
Run-water letters
The City issues a seasonal run-water advisory to vulnerable properties when frost reaches the set depth. A letter, or a past freeze, marks your pipe as at risk. The City asks for a steady stream of cold water until the frost is out of the ground, which it puts at the end of April, and an indoor temperature above 8°C where pipes run, especially near the meter.
The cost of that water follows the freeze record. If the pipe freezes on your property, you pay for it. If it freezes on City property and you hold the letter, the City adds no extra charge. The City also says to find out why the service is at risk, since it may have been laid too shallow. That belongs in a conversation with a plumber and with 3-1-1.
Frozen pipes inside the house
Inside the house, the plumber locates the frozen section, thaws it and checks the pipe for splits. A thaw has two prices, depending on whether the pipe held. HomeStars lists $200–$500 for an intact pipe and $500–$2,000 once it cracked, the same range as a burst pipe.
The City warns against an open flame on a frozen pipe. It is a fire risk, and thawing is the plumber’s work. If the pipe has already split, close the main shut-off so the water does not pour out as it thaws, and see the emergency plumbing page.
Drains and rural systems
Frost reaches drains too. One Ottawa firm published a job in Kinburn: a blocked toilet, an ice plug eight feet down the main line and septic lids under frozen deck boards, $7,458.89 over three days. That is the far end of the scale. A camera run, as on the sewer line page, shows where the ice sits. If thawed pipes leave water in the basement, see basement flooding.
Who you are dealing with
Two different outfits may touch a frozen house. The City thaws the underground service pipe. Anything inside your walls goes to the independent plumbing company that receives your request from Ottawa Plumbing Desk, and that company phones, thaws, checks for splits and sets its own fee.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the frozen section inside the house or on the underground service pipe?
- Do you thaw the pipe and check it for cracks in the same visit?
- If the pipe has split, is the repair priced separately from the thaw?
- What do you advise so the pipe does not freeze again?
- If the freeze is on the City's side, will you tell me so I can call 3-1-1?
Have this ready for the call
- Which taps have no water, and whether hot, cold or both are affected
- The shut-off valve inside the house, with a clear path to it
- The outside shut-off valve, with the snow cleared from it
- Your letter from the City about running water, if you received one
- Photos of any frost, frozen condensation or a wet wall near the meter
Questions people ask
I live in a condo. Will the City thaw our water pipe?
The City says residents on a private street, including a condominium corporation, do not have access to its inspection and thawing services. The City lists the private street and its water main as outside that service. Tell the property manager first, and ask what your corporation covers.
What does the City give me while the pipe is frozen?
If it cannot run a temporary line from a neighbour, the City provides bottled water through 3-1-1, free shower use at any City recreation facility, and suggests an emergency water supply all year. A temporary hose from a neighbour’s yard may be installed instead.
How long can a frozen service pipe last?
The City says most service pipes thaw by late April or early May, when the frost leaves the ground. In winters with deep frost, a service can re-freeze or a thaw attempt can fail, and in some cases the City judges it less disruptive to let the pipe thaw as the frost leaves.
The City sent a letter telling me to run my water. Who pays for it?
If City records show the pipe freezes on your private side, you pay for the running water. If it freezes on the City side and you have the written notice, the City adds no extra charge and the bill follows your earlier use. The letter says which applies.
Does insurance pay when pipes freeze while I am away?
Insurance Bureau of Canada says freeze damage may not be covered if you are away in the normal heating season, since many insurers expect the plumbing drained or the house checked regularly. Damage despite those precautions is typically covered. Read your policy before you travel.
Will I pay again if the pipe freezes a second time?
On private property, yes. The City says its thaw fee applies each time it must thaw a water service there, at the cost of the work plus 15%. The City also suggests finding out why the service is at risk, since it may not have been installed to a proper depth.
