The Province of Ontario requires that all properties with septic systems located within 100 meters of the Lake Simcoe shoreline, water courses within the Lake Simcoe watershed, and septic systems located within an area around a York Region drinking water well must have a septic system maintenance inspection completed every five years. A properly maintained septic system ensures that:

  • drinking water sources are not polluted (private and public wells)
  • the environment is not polluted

The Town of East Gwillimbury (EG)'s Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program was substantially completed in 2020 for the Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA). The program required residents with subject properties to hire a qualified person to complete the inspections and to carry out any necessary repairs. The next round of inspections in the WHPA will be conducted in 2025. Residents with septic systems within the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan have already been notified that their septic system needs to be inspected.

The documents on this page are available in other formats, please contact the Building Branch to request. 

Properties within the Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA)

Wellhead Protection Areas protect drinking water sources.

• 591 Mount Albert Road - Well Map

• 2244 Queensville Sideroad - Well Map

• 18371 Centre Street - Well Map

• 19780 Leslie Street - Well Map

• 2 Grist Mill Drive - Well Map

• 20 Hi View Drive - Well Map

Maintenance tips and reminders
  • Pumping your sewage tank on a regular basis is an important step to protect the health of your family, sewage system and environment. A family of four may be required to pump every two years or up to five years depending on use. While your tank is being pumped, your contractor may check the overall condition of the tank and leaching field to catch any issues early.
  • Keep a detailed record of maintenance activities, such as repairs, pumping, inspections, and permits issued as this information is useful for future reference. Should an issue arise, or you wish to sell, the records are valuable.
  • Give your septic system a healthy diet. Avoid excess fats, oils, and grease (FOG) as these items take a long time for the system to process. Avoid bleach as it may kill good bacteria in the system that are required to process the waste. Avoid septic stimulators and additives as they are not required for a well maintained and healthy sewage system to function properly. Proper use and maintenance will extend the “life” of the system.

Take precautions to protect your system, for example:

  • Do not drive or park vehicles on top of your leaching field, doing so may compact soils and possibly break leaching lines underground.
  • Do not plant trees or shrubs too close to your field or tank as roots can block lines in your leaching field (especially willows, silver maples and poplars). Blocked lines may back up sewage into the dwellings plumbing causing costly damage.
  • Do not change your lot's drainage pattern as the system is designed to shed water on the surface to allow for better percolation of the soils below.
  • Do not bury your leaching field under landscaping materials (such as plastic) or pavers. Water must be allowed to leave the soil and plants through evapotranspiration and air allowed to enter the soils to aid in a healthy system.
  • Do not bury your septic tank under a driveway or deck, making it inaccessible for inspections and pumping when required.

Applying for a building permit for a septic system

To find out how to apply for your building permit, please view our Building Permits page.

You will need:

  • a complete application form and schedules
  • a septic system site plan and calculations
  • fees as required
  • additional information may be required depending on location and site conditions

Additional reference material

• Upgrading Septic Systems LSRCA Grant

• SepticSmart! OMAFRA

• Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Form

The documents on this page are available in other formats, please contact the Building Branch to request.