You are eligible for the Domestic Water Well Loan Program if:
- You are a rural property owner whose property is outside of Yukon municipalities
- You are a property owner within a municipality, but your property is not served or able to be serviced by the municipal water system
- Your project is for drilling a new groundwater well or an upgrade to an existing drilled groundwater well for domestic use
- Your property taxes are paid and up to date
To apply for the Domestic Water Well Loan Program you will first need to contact the Property Assessment and Taxation office to discuss eligibility, program details and fill out an application. They can be reached at:
- Email: assessment.taxation@yukon.ca
- Phone: 867-667-5268 or toll free in Yukon at 1-800-661-0408 extension 5268
- Mail: Government of Yukon
Property Assessment and Taxation (C-9)
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
The Property Assessment and Taxation office will then review your project and ensure it meets the criteria. If your project is approved you will enter into an agreement with the office and you must agree to the terms of payment and other conditions.
Once the project is complete, the Property Assessment and taxation office will pay the invoices once conditions are met and you sign off on the final product as the property owner.
You will then see the local improvement changes on your next tax notice.
Before you apply for this program funding, it is important that you consider the following risks:
- You may not hit water in the location you choose to drill
- Your well could have a low flow rate
- The water could require treatment
- If you have to drill deep to hit enough water, the cost may be more than what the program covers
You can help protect yourself from some of these risks:
- You should talk to your neighbours with wells to find out how deep they had to drill to hit water and how reliable their well is
- You should calculate what you pay for water delivery service against the cost or potential costs of drilling a well
- You should research what is involved in maintaining and treating a well
- You should find out if there is a public well near your property. Accessing this water may be a better option than taking on the cost and risks associated with drilling a well
- You should check the water well registry. This online mapping tool can provide information on wells in your area, including groundwater characteristics, water level, well depth and estimated yield.