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 on rateable value. Each is checkable from the bill and a meter reading in about half an hour.
Last reviewed 2 September 2026 by Utilities Made Simple · independent, whole-of-market, supplier-paid — how we are paid
Work through these
- Leak test. Take a meter reading last thing at night and again first thing before anyone uses water. If the numbers differ, water is going somewhere. Underground leaks on your side of the boundary are your responsibility, but many wholesalers offer an allowance on the bill for a repaired leak — ask.
- Check the read type. Estimated reads on water behave exactly as they do on energy: a quiet build-up followed by a large correction. Submit an actual read and ask for a rebill.
- Check the drainage lines. Foul sewerage, surface water and highway drainage are charged separately. Surface water charges assume rainwater from your site enters the public sewer. If it drains to a soakaway or a watercourse, you should not be paying it.
- Check whether you are metered at all. Unmetered properties are charged on rateable value, which bears no relation to what you use. A low-water-use business in a large building usually saves by having a meter fitted.
The ones people miss
Water used in a product or process and not returned to the sewer can attract a trade effluent or volumetric adjustment. Car washes, food producers, breweries and anywhere with significant evaporation are worth a closer look.
Getting it checked
Send a recent water bill to info@utilitiesms.co.uk along with your energy bills. Water audits are quick, the rebates are often backdated, and there is no charge for looking.
Ask an energy specialist
If your question is not answered above, send it to us. A specialist answers personally, normally within one working day. No sales call, no obligation — and if the answer is "your deal is fine", that is what you will get.
Want this checked against your own bill?
Email a recent bill to info@utilitiesms.co.uk and a specialist will check your rates, VAT, levies and contract end date against the live market — free, usually the same working day. If your deal is already good, we will tell you to keep it.