Business water
Business water, reviewed alongside your energy
England's business water market has been open to competition since 2017. Most businesses have never checked whether their retailer, or their rates, are the right fit.
Understanding your bill
What's actually on a business water invoice
Water pricing separates the pipe network from the service that bills you for using it — which is what makes retailer choice possible at all.
Wholesale charges
Set by the regional wholesaler that owns the pipe network to your premises — this part doesn't change if you switch retailer.
Retail charges
Cover billing, customer service and account management. This is the part that competing water retailers set, and where switching can make a difference.
Wastewater and surface water
Charged based on the sewerage services provided and, in some cases, the surface water drained from your site.
Why review it
Reasons business water gets overlooked
Water is a smaller line item than energy for most businesses, which is exactly why it rarely gets a second look.
- Consolidate a portfolio
- If you're already reviewing energy across several sites, water is often sitting on old default rates with the same lack of oversight.
- One retailer, one bill
- Since deregulation in England, eligible businesses can choose a single retailer to bill for water and wastewater across multiple sites, rather than dealing with several regional providers.
- Check for overcharging
- Estimated readings and legacy tariffs are common with water. A review can identify meters that haven't been read in some time.
Eligibility
Who can switch business water retailer
Non-household water and wastewater customers in England have been able to choose their retailer since April 2017, following market opening by Ofwat. This covers businesses, charities and public sector organisations that are not billed for domestic use.
Scotland opened its non-domestic water market earlier, in 2008. Wales operates a more limited retail market, with eligibility generally based on consumption thresholds. We check what applies to your premises before recommending anything.
Process
How a water review fits alongside energy
01
Send us a recent bill
We identify your current retailer, wholesaler region and consumption.
02
We check the market
We compare retail charges and service terms available for your account type.
03
You decide
If switching makes sense, we handle the retailer change; if not, we say so.
Questions
Business water, answered
Do I have to switch water retailer to get a benefit?+
No. Sometimes the right outcome is staying with your current retailer, particularly if service levels are good and pricing is already competitive. A review tells you which applies.
Will switching affect my water supply or pipes?+
No. Switching retailer only changes who bills and services your account. The physical network and the water itself remain with the regional wholesaler regardless of retailer.
Can I switch business energy supplier?+
Yes, provided you are within your contract's switching window, or are out of contract or on deemed rates. Any outstanding balance normally needs to be settled and the supply must not be subject to an objection. We check the position before anything is agreed.
Add water to your next utilities review
Send over a recent water bill alongside your energy details and we'll check both together.