▣ Service SpecificationON1CALL • CSA Z247 • OHS 213/91
Metro Hydrovac Toronto dispatches emergency hydrovac, 24/7 hydrovac, water main break excavation and sewer backup vacuum trucks throughout Toronto, Ontario and the GTA, backed by 20 years of round-the-clock response. Emergency hydrovac is the after-hours use of a hydrovac or vacuum truck to remove flood water, sewage and soil from a water main break, sewer backup or insurance loss, and to expose the failed pipe so repair crews can reach it without digging blind. Adjusters get time-stamped photo logs and itemised invoices that hold up in a claim file.
One January night a Scarborough plaza near Markham Rd called with sewage coming up through a basement floor drain. Our crew was rolling within the hour, ran 6 hours after-hours to pull the backup, expose the blocked cleanout and photograph every step. The invoice was $3,100 CAD, itemised by the hour, and the adjuster had the full file by breakfast.
✓24/7 dispatch (sewer, water main, insurance only)
✓Time-stamped photo and hour logs
✓Itemised emergency invoices
✓6,000 gallon unit available
20 YRS
GTA Hydrovac Experience
ZERO
Utility Strikes, 2,000+ Jobs
OHS 213/91
Excavation Compliant
$5,000,000
Commercial Liability
5-Star Customer SatisfactionTop-Rated Toronto Hydrovac Contractor2,000+ Projects CompletedON1Call Certified LocatorsWritten Workmanship Warranty24/7 Water Main, Sewer & Insurance Dispatch
Field Audit
The 5-Hour Water Main Response Protocol Toronto Insurance Adjusters Expect
Adjusters and restoration contractors want the same things from an emergency crew: speed, control and a clean paper trail. This is how our first five hours run.
#01
Hour 1: Dispatch and isolation
Crew rolls from our Toronto yard, usually on site within 90 minutes in the GTA. On arrival we confirm the water is shut at the curb stop or main valve by the utility or a plumber, and take arrival photos.
#02
Hour 2: Remove standing water
The 6,000 gallon truck pulls flood water and slurry so the break or backup can be seen. Volumes are logged as they come off.
#03
Hour 3: Expose the failure
Hydrovac excavation exposes the broken main, service or blocked cleanout without striking the gas and hydro lines around it. Emergency locates are confirmed before we dig.
#04
Hour 4: Document cause of loss
Time-stamped photos of the failed pipe, the water path and the damage. This is the evidence adjusters need to settle cause of loss quickly.
#05
Hour 5: Handover to repair crews
The hole is clean, dry and safe for the repair crew. We stay on standby or demobilize, and the hour log and photo file go to the adjuster.
Scope Catalogue
Emergency Hydrovac Services We Run 24/7
24/7 dispatch is for water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims. Scheduled excavation is booked during business hours.
Water Main Breaks
Pulling flood water, exposing the break and keeping the hole clean while Toronto Water, Peel Region or a private contractor repairs the main.
Sewer Backups
Sanitary and storm backups into basements, plazas and parking structures. We vacuum the backup, find the blockage and document it.
Insurance Claim Response
Work done to an adjuster's standard: time-stamped photos, hour logs, volumes removed and an itemised invoice.
After-Hours Construction Support
Night work on active construction sites where a utility issue cannot wait until morning, such as a flooding excavation or a damaged service.
Flooded Vault & Basement Pump-Out
Hydro vaults, telecom chambers and basements pumped out after a main break or sewer surcharge.
Storm Event Catch Basin Overflow
Overflowing catch basins and blocked storm inlets during heavy rain, cleared so water can drain.
Emergency Utility Exposure for Repair Crews
Exposing damaged gas, water or electrical services quickly and safely so the utility can repair them.
When to Call an Emergency Hydrovac
Our 24/7 line is for three situations, and we keep it that way so the truck is free when it matters:
Water main breaks. Municipal or private mains flooding a street, lot, loading dock or basement.
Sewer backups. Sanitary or storm sewage coming up through floor drains, cleanouts or catch basins.
Insurance claims. Any loss where an adjuster needs the water removed and the cause documented.
Shut the water at the main valve or curb stop if you can do it safely, or call the municipality.
Keep people out of flooded basements. Sewage and live electrical don’t mix.
Photograph what you see. Your own time-stamped photos help the claim.
Call your insurer and get a claim number if you have time. We’ll work with the adjuster directly.
Why Hydrovac Instead of a Pump Truck or Backhoe?
A pump truck moves water. A backhoe digs fast. In an emergency you often need both, and you need to dig beside gas and hydro lines that are still live.
Need
Pump truck
Backhoe
Emergency hydrovac
Remove flood water
Yes
No
Yes, up to 6,000 gal per load
Remove sewage and silt
Limited
No
Yes
Expose the broken pipe
No
Yes, with strike risk
Yes, non-destructively
Work beside live gas or hydro
n/a
Risky
Yes, under CSA Z247
Claim documentation
Rare
Rare
Standard
Field note from our crew
Running a hydrovac without ON1Call locates is like merging onto the 401 without checking your mirrors. Even at 2 a.m. we confirm emergency locates before the wand goes in, everytime.
The Paper Trail Adjusters Need
Insurance files close faster when the evidence is complete. Every emergency job includes:
Arrival and departure time stamps for each crew member.
Photos of the water path, the failed pipe or blockage, and the cleaned area.
Volumes removed per load, with disposal records from the licensed facility.
An itemised invoice showing hours, rate band, mobilization and disposal on separate lines.
On our Scarborough sewer backup in January, that file was in the adjuster’s inbox by morning and the claim closed without a follow-up call.
What Affects Emergency Hydrovac Cost?
Time of day: $450-$650 CAD per hour off-hours, $500-$700 on weekends and holidays.
Duration: most backups run 4-6 hours; larger main breaks can run a full shift.
Volume: the 6,000 gallon truck keeps dump trips down on big floods.
Disposal: sewage and slurry billed by load at licensed facility rates.
Rates are published so nobody has to negotiate in the middle of a flood. If you need a crew now, call (647) 251-8377.
Why Crews Call Us
Why GTA Crews Choose Metro Hydrovac Toronto for Emergency
01
20 Years of Hydrovac Excavation Experience
Two decades operating hydrovac trucks across the GTA, from the first Vactor 2100i we bought used in 2004 to our current fleet of three units.
02
24/7 for the Calls That Can't Wait
Water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims get round-the-clock dispatch from our Toronto yard.
03
Claim-Ready Documentation
Time-stamped photo and hour logs, volumes removed and itemised invoices, delivered by morning.
04
6,000 Gallon Capacity on Call
The large tank truck handles major floods in fewer dump trips, which keeps the hourly bill down.
05
Owned Fleet, Zero Subcontracting
The crew that arrives at 2 a.m. works for us. No brokered trucks.
06
Transparent CAD Pricing Published
$450-$650 CAD per hour off-hours and $500-$700 on weekends and holidays, 4-hour minimum. No surprise surcharges.
5-Step Dig Protocol
How Our 24/7 Emergency Hydrovac Process Works, 5 Steps
STEP 01
Ontario One Call Locate Verification
Emergency locates are requested or confirmed before any digging, and arrival photos are taken the moment we pull up. Toronto Municipal Code 847 coordination on city property.
STEP 02
Truck Positioning & Traffic Control
Beacons on, cones out, truck positioned upstream of the flow. On a flooded street we work with police or the municipality on traffic.
STEP 03
Pressurized Removal & Depth Checks
Water and slurry pulled, then the failure exposed with careful wand work. Some contractors over-charge for mobilization thinking clients wont check other quotes, especially at night. Our rate is published.
STEP 04
Claim-Ready Exposure & Sign-Off
Cause of loss photographed and logged with time stamps. Owner Alex Novak takes emergency calls himself on many nights, and every claim file crosses his desk.
STEP 05
Compliant Disposal & Clean Handover
Sewage and slurry hauled to a licensed facility, the site handed to the repair crew, logs sent to the adjuster. Trust us, you're in good hands.
Published Rate Matrix (CAD)
Emergency Hydrovac Cost in Toronto (CAD)
Emergency hydrovac in Toronto costs $450-$650 CAD per hour off-hours and $500-$700 on weekends and statutory holidays, with a 4-hour minimum. Every emergency invoice is itemised for the claim file.
Emergency Hydrovac Cost in Toronto (CAD)
Equipment, Crew or Scope
Published Rate (CAD)
Minimum / Base
Use Case
Emergency 24/7 off-hours response
$450-$650/hr
4 hrs
Water main breaks, sewer backups, insurance claims. Priority Dispatch
Weekend / statutory holiday
$500-$700/hr
4 hrs
Same scope, weekend and holiday rate.
Business-hours emergency (Mon-Fri day)
$280-$450/hr
4 hrs
Standard or large tank rates apply during the work day.
Disposal
By load
Itemised
Sewage and slurry to a licensed facility, manifest included.
Example: Scarborough sewer backup, 6 hours after-hours, $3,100 CAD total. Every invoice shows hours, rate, disposal and mobilization on separate lines.
Objections, Answered With Numbers
4 Questions Adjusters and Property Managers Ask at 2 a.m.
“Emergency rates feel like a penalty.”
In our opinion, the penalty is waiting. Every hour a sewer backup sits, restoration costs climb. Our off-hours band is published at $450-$650 CAD so nobody negotiates in a flooded basement.
“Will the invoice hold up with the insurer?”
Yes. Time-stamped hour logs, photos and volumes removed are attached. Christine P., an adjuster in Bronte, called it the cleanest emergency file she handled all year.
“Can't the plumber handle it?”
A plumber clears drains. When the backup is large or the pipe has to be dug out near gas and hydro, you need vacuum capacity and non-destructive excavation.
“How fast can you actually get here?”
Most GTA calls see a truck on site within 90 minutes to 2 hours. A 2 a.m. water main break in Agincourt had our truck on site in 90 minutes.
Field Photos
Recent Emergency Work Across the GTA
Crews of two or more on every job. Click any photo to enlarge.
Client Field Reports
What Clients Say About Our Emergency Work
“Water main break flooding our loading dock at 2 a.m. Truck on site in 90 minutes, break exposed for the repair crew, $2,600 CAD for the night.”
Rob N. · Agincourt
“Residential sewer backup claim. Time-stamped photos, hour log and an itemised invoice of $1,950 CAD. Cleanest emergency file I handled all year.”
Christine P. · Bronte
“Sewer backup into a plaza basement off Sandalwood Pkwy. The 6,000 gal unit ran 5 hours after-hours, $2,950 CAD.”
Ahmed S. · Heart Lake
5-Star Customer Satisfaction · Top-Rated Toronto Hydrovac Contractor
Field Questions
24/7 Emergency Hydrovac FAQ
What does emergency hydrovac cost per hour after hours?
$450-$650 CAD per hour off-hours and $500-$700 on weekends and statutory holidays, with a 4-hour minimum.
Is emergency hydrovac expensive?
A typical after-hours sewer backup runs $2,000-$3,500 CAD all in. Our Scarborough plaza job was $3,100 for 6 hours. Waiting until morning usually costs more in damage.
Do you offer 24/7 emergency hydrovac?
Yes, for water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims. Scheduled excavation is booked during business hours.
What size truck do you send to an emergency?
Usually the 6,000 gallon unit for floods and backups, so we make fewer dump trips. Smaller jobs get the 2,500 gallon truck.
What does a hydrovac truck cost, and why not keep one on standby?
A truck costs well over half a million dollars plus TSSA inspections, insurance and trained operators. Calling an owned fleet with published emergency rates is far cheaper.
What training do your emergency operators have?
Red Seal certified operators with confined space, WHMIS and Ontario One Call training, working under CSA Z247 when digging near utilities.
Do you provide documentation for insurance claims?
Yes. Time-stamped photos, hour logs, volumes removed and an itemised invoice, usually delivered by the next morning.
Do you respond to sewer backups in Brampton?
Yes. We cover Brampton's Steeles Ave and Airport Rd corridor and Peel Region water main and sewer emergencies around the clock.
Do you handle emergencies outside water mains and sewers?
Our 24/7 line is for water main breaks, sewer backups and insurance claims. Other urgent work is scheduled first thing during business hours.
Itemised Quote
Request a Emergency Quote
Tell us the site, the scope and the timing. We reply with hourly rate, mobilization, disposal and locate fees on separate lines, in CAD.
✓Free on-site assessment for commercial projects across the GTA
✓Owned trucks, in-house Red Seal operators, no subcontracting
