Business water questions
Business water in England has been open to competition since 2017: you keep the same pipes and the same wholesaler, and choose who bills you and services the account. The savings are smaller than energy, but the billing errors are more common.
Last reviewed 2 September 2026 by Utilities Made Simple · independent, whole-of-market, supplier-paid — how we are paid
3 answers in this section
- Can my business switch water supplier?In England, yes — the business water retail market opened to competition in April 2017.
- Why is my business water bill so high?Four causes account for most of it: an undetected leak, estimated rather than actual meter reads, drainage charges that do not reflect the site, and unmetered or assessed charging based...
- What is a surface water drainage rebate?It is a refund and a reduction for businesses being charged to drain rainwater into the public sewer when it does not actually go there.
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