Plumbing in Orléans
Send one work order with your Orléans street or postal code and the problem. One independent plumbing company that covers the east end calls you to book the visit.
In short
- 01Orléans is about 16 km east of downtown Ottawa, along the Ottawa River and Highway 174.
- 02Its suburban growth began in the late 1960s, so houses in the older neighbourhoods predate the City's 2004 and 2012 cut-offs for backwater valve rebates.
- 03Building permits can be filed in person at the Orléans Client Service Centre, 255 Centrum Boulevard, or online through My ServiceOttawa.
- 04Ottawa homeowners reported $100–$800 to fix a leak and $142–$1,000 for a toilet repair (HomeStars Ottawa).
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, Plumbing Services Cost Guide for Ottawa, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Rebates: City of Ottawa, Residential Protective Plumbing program, seen 29.10.2026. Permit counters: City of Ottawa, submitting building permit applications, seen 29.10.2026. River flooding: City of Ottawa, Causes of basement flooding, seen 29.10.2026. Area history and neighbourhoods: Wikipedia, Orléans, Ontario, read 29.10.2026.
What to ask before you book
- Q1Is my part of Orléans inside your regular service area?
- Q2My house dates from the 1970s or 1980s: which original parts would you look at while you are here?
- Q3If the job needs a permit, will you file it, and at which counter or online?
- Q4Is there a travel charge for an east-end address?
- Q5Can you put the price and the scope in writing before you start?
Before the visit
- Street, postal code and the nearest main road: St. Joseph Boulevard, Innes Road, Trim Road or Centrum Boulevard
- Year the house was built, from the deed or purchase papers
- Photos of the problem and of the label on any water heater or sump pump involved
- For a townhouse or condo: unit number, entry instructions and visitor parking
- Clear path to the main shut-off and the water heater
Orléans by decade
Orléans grew from about 6,000 people in 1971 to about 24,000 by 1981, after improvements to Highway 174 brought it closer to central Ottawa. The early neighbourhoods, Convent Glen and Queenswood Heights among them, are ranch-style and split-level houses on larger lots. Fallingbrook and Chapel Hill, built in the 1980s and 1990s, are mostly two-storey brick houses and freehold townhouses. Avalon, Notting Gate and Cardinal Creek have gone up since the early 2000s, and apartments and condos are rising along Innes Road and near Place d’Orléans.
For plumbing, the decade tells the company what to expect behind the wall. Put the year your house was built in the work order. If you have replaced the water heater, the shut-off or the sump pump since, say so.
Rebates follow the build date
The City of Ottawa’s protective plumbing rebates depend on when the house was built: before January 1, 2004 for a storm backwater valve, before January 1, 2012 for a sanitary one. The neighbourhoods built from the late 1960s through the 1990s sit before both dates. Newer streets toward Avalon and Cardinal Creek may sit after them, so check the deed.
Rebates cover new devices only. A permit comes first, then the work, the City inspection and the application. The sump pump and backwater valve page has the full rebate table.
River, creek and sewer
The Ottawa River forms the northern edge of Orléans, and Green’s Creek runs through clay valleys on its west side. The City lists river flooding, overland flooding and sewer backup as different causes of a wet basement. Before you book work aimed at flooding, check your address on the City’s 1-in-100 year flood plain map, and tell the plumber where the water came in: through the floor drain, the walls or a window well.
Permits on the east side
Building Code Services keeps an in-person counter at the Orléans Client Service Centre, 255 Centrum Boulevard, by appointment or walk-in on weekdays. Applications can also go online through My ServiceOttawa. The City asks that inspections be booked 48 hours ahead, and the inspector’s name and number are on the permit.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Plumbing Desk passes your Orléans work order to one independent plumbing company that covers the east end. That company calls you, prices the work and does it.
Questions
01Do you send plumbers to every part of Orléans?
We pass your work order to one company that works in your part of the east end. Write your postal code or nearest main road.
02My house is in Convent Glen. Can I get the City's backwater valve rebate?
The City pays the storm valve rebate for homes built before January 1, 2004, and the sanitary valve rebate for homes built before January 1, 2012. Convent Glen was among the first Orléans neighbourhoods, developed from the late 1960s, so the build date is unlikely to be the obstacle. A building permit is required before the work.
03We live near the Ottawa River. Does a backwater valve protect us from the river?
A backwater valve protects against surcharging in the City’s sewers. The City lists river flooding and overland flooding as separate causes of basement water. Check whether your address is in the 1-in-100 year flood plain on the City’s interactive map, and describe both risks in your work order.
04Where do I apply for a plumbing permit in Orléans?
The Building Code Services counter at the Orléans Client Service Centre, 255 Centrum Boulevard, takes appointments and walk-ins Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Applications can also go online through My ServiceOttawa. Ask the plumber on the call who will apply.