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City of Coquitlam

Your honest plumber
in Coquitlam.

From our base in North Vancouver, we repipe Poly-B homes, replace water lines and pressure reducing valves and test backflow assemblies across Coquitlam.

Home · Service Areas · Coquitlam

Lafarge Lake, Coquitlam · Photo: Greg Salter, CC BY 2.5
Homes in Coquitlam

Neighbourhoods that grew up in the Poly-B years.

More than a third of Coquitlam's homes were built between 1981 and 2000, a period that includes most of the years when Poly-B was used, well above the provincial share. The City's own community profiles date the neighbourhoods behind that number.

Westwood Plateau

On Eagle Mountain. The City dates the start of its development to the late 1980s; it was a main area of residential growth in Coquitlam until 2011, with houses, duplexes, townhouses and apartments.

River Springs and Oxford Heights

The earliest suburban neighbourhoods of Northeast Coquitlam, which the City says were built in the 1980s and 1990s.

What it means for your pipes

A home from those years may still have its original Poly-B. We confirm what you have at no charge, and the Poly-B replacement page has our price ranges and monthly payments.

Occupied homes55,950
Built 1981 to 200020,275 (36.2%)
BC, built 1981 to 200030.7%
Single-detached houses35.2%
Condominium32.0%
Built 1961 to 198023.5%

Sources: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population (occupied private dwellings); City of Coquitlam community profiles: Westwood Plateau, Northeast Coquitlam.

From the curb stop in

In Coquitlam, the water line is yours.

Coquitlam's water bylaw draws a clear line: the City owns the curb stop and everything on City property, and the owner owns the private water system from the curb stop to the house, including the water service box and the meter box, and must keep it free of leaks.

Leaks on your side

The City repairs leaks on City property. From the service valve near the property line inward, the repair is the owner's.

Meters by choice

Existing homes can opt into a water meter: the City pays half, the typical owner share is $1,511, meters go in during 2026 and metered billing starts in 2027.

What we do

Replace the water line from the curb stop to the house after a free assessment, with the permit the City requires for a water service on private property.

Sources: Water Distribution Bylaw No. 4428, s. 5.10 to 5.12 and 7.3; Water problems; Voluntary Residential Water Meter Program

Coquitlam rules, explained

Pressure, permits and backflow in Coquitlam.

Plain-language summaries of the official rules, each with its source. Always check the current version for your property.

Pressure

Check the pressure reducing valve first

The City says most water pressure problems are not due to its system and suggests having a plumber check the pressure reducing valve, usually where the water line enters the building. It also notes that a leaking hot water tank can be caused by a faulty pressure reducing valve.

Source: Water problems
Permits

A permit for any plumbing work

Coquitlam requires a plumbing permit for any work on a plumbing system and for a new or replacement water service on private property, but not for repairing leaks in water pipes or clearing stoppages. Permit holders book inspections through the City's online booking system.

Sources: Plumbing permit FAQ; Plumbing permits
Homeowners

Doing it yourself has strict limits

A homeowner permit means declaring that you own and live in (or will live in) the single-family home, that nothing else is attached to it, and that nobody is being paid to do or help with the work. The drawings must show the water piping layout.

Source: Home Owner Declaration form
Backflow

Reports within 10 days, by email

Installing or replacing a backflow preventer, including one for a lawn irrigation system, needs a plumbing permit. The City's test report form must be submitted no later than 10 days after testing, and reports go by email to the plumbing permits office. Reza is a BCWWA-certified backflow assembly tester.

Sources: Plumbing permit FAQ; test report form; Plumbing permits
Coquitlam, answered

Questions Coquitlam homeowners ask us.

Who is responsible for the water line to my house in Coquitlam?

You are, from the curb stop at or near your property line to the house. Coquitlam's water bylaw makes the owner the owner of the private water system, the water service box and the meter box, and responsible for keeping it free of leaks. The City owns the curb stop and everything on City property.

Should I get a water meter in Coquitlam?

It is your choice. Under the City's voluntary program, the City pays half of the installation (the owner's share for a typical 19 mm meter is $1,511), meters go in during 2026, and metered billing starts in 2027. If you sign up, it is worth fixing any leak first, because a meter charges for every litre.

My water pressure is too high. Is that the City's problem?

Usually not. The City says most water pressure problems are not due to its system, and suggests having the pressure reducing valve checked, usually where the water line enters the building, by a plumber. The City also notes that a leaking hot water tank can be caused by a faulty pressure reducing valve. We test the pressure and replace the valve when it has failed.

Do I need a permit to repipe my home in Coquitlam?

Yes. Coquitlam requires a plumbing permit for any work on a plumbing system, and for replacing a water service on private property, but not for repairing a leak in a water pipe. A homeowner can do their own work only on a single-family home they live in, with nobody paid to help, so when you hire a plumber, the permit is in the contractor's name. We take out the Coquitlam business licence once your job is booked, before work starts, then apply for the permit and book the inspections at no extra service charge; the City’s fees are charged at actual cost, with no markup.

How do backflow test reports work in Coquitlam?

The City's test report form says the report must be submitted no later than 10 days after the test, and the City takes backflow test reports by email to its plumbing permits office. Installing or replacing a backflow preventer, including one for a lawn irrigation system, needs a plumbing permit. Reza is a BCWWA-certified backflow assembly tester.

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