How to Find Out Who Your Business Water Supplier Is

Knowing your water supplier is crucial for businesses to effectively manage costs and service quality. But your supplier isn’t necessarily just your local one. Water deregulation in the UK (2017 in England, 2008 in Scotland) ended monopolies, allowing businesses to choose suppliers, fostering competition and innovation. In this guide, we’ll be touching on why it’s essential to know this information, how to find it out, and other important information about business water and the companies that manage it. 

Why It’s Important to Know Your Business Water Supplier

There are several benefits to knowing who your business water supplier is. Firstly, it allows you to ensure timely bill payments and avoid service disruptions. It also allows you to deal with errors with billing at their end and other service-related issues, such as leaks. In addition, water deregulation has allowed business customers to switch suppliers or negotiate better deals if they can, but this is impossible without knowing the identity of your current supplier. 

How to Find Out Who Your Water Supplier Is

There are several different ways in which you can find out who your water supplier is:

Start With Your Address

Using your business address to locate your supplier is a great place to start. Many businesses will still have their account with their local regional supplier, and you can use your business address to do this. Ofwat has a guide to regional suppliers, a map and their contact details. 

How to Check Water Supplier Records

Your latest details may be hidden away on a document somewhere. Past bills and other utility documents are a treasure trove of information and may contain your account reference number. If you’re renting your premises, your landlord or owners of different businesses that have used the same property may be able to help. 

Online Tools for Finding Your Supplier

Businesses in England can use the official market operator's tool to find their current water and sewerage retailer. MOSL (Market Operator Services Ltd) runs the central database for the non-household water market and provides a definitive postcode and address checker. For businesses in Scotland, the process is different; you should check your latest bill or contact one of the licensed providers who can identify your current supplier using your address. Websites like Water UK can help you identify your regional wholesaler - the company that owns and operates the pipes in your area.

Call the Water Services Team

Each regional supplier has a dedicated Water Services Team. Thames Water, for example, allows you to contact them by phone, WhatsApp, or social media and has a full guide to contacting their business team.

Understanding Regional Water Suppliers and Sewerage Providers

Regional water companies in the UK provide essential water and sewerage services. Privatised in 1989, these companies are regulated to ensure high-quality service and fair pricing. The market for business water has been deregulated since 2008 in Scotland and 2017 in England, allowing most businesses to choose their retail supplier. It remains regulated in Northern Ireland, whilst in Wales only businesses using over 50 million litres of water per year are eligible to switch.

Major UK Water Suppliers by Region:

• Thames Water: Greater London, Thames Valley

• Severn Trent Water: West Midlands, East Midlands, parts of Wales

• United Utilities: North West England

• Yorkshire Water: Yorkshire and the Humber

• Anglian Water: East of England

• Southern Water: South East England

• South West Water: South West England

• Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru): Wales

• Northumbrian Water: North East England

• Scottish Water: Scotland

Who Provides Your Sewerage Services?

Sewerage services manage wastewater and sewage, while water supply services provide clean water. Sewerage companies handle public sewers (shared by multiple properties) and lateral drains (which connect property boundaries to public sewers). 

Your sewerage supplier may be different to your water supplier. To identify your sewerage provider, the best place to start is your water bill, which often lists both water and sewerage retail suppliers separately. For businesses in England, the MOSL supplier finder tool will identify the retailer for both services.

Can Businesses Switch Water Suppliers?

Yes, they can! Since 2008 in Scotland and 2017 in England, business customers have been able to choose their suppliers in an open marketplace. Doing so comes with potentially substantial savings, and it’s never been easier to do so. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between a Water Wholesaler and a Retailer?

A wholesaler owns and operates the physical water network in a specific region - the pipes, treatment works, and reservoirs. Examples include Thames Water and Scottish Water. A retailer is the company that manages your account, reads your meter, and sends you your bill. In the deregulated markets of England and Scotland, you can choose your retailer, but your wholesaler is fixed by your location.

I Work From Home; Can I Switch Business Water Supplier?

This depends on how your property is supplied and billed. If your home has a dedicated business water supply, or if your business activities mean you use a large amount of water, you may be eligible to switch. However, if you simply use a small amount of water for ordinary office work in a home that is primarily a domestic property, you will likely remain a household customer of your regional water company and will not be able to switch.

Who Is My Water Supplier in Wales or Northern Ireland?

The business water markets in these nations are not fully deregulated. In Northern Ireland, all businesses are supplied by a single, state-owned company: NI Water. In Wales, the market is also regulated and supplied by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, except for very large businesses that use more than 50 million litres of water per year, which are eligible to switch to a different licensed provider.

Whether you need to know that your billing is correct or you’ve spotted a leak, you need to know who supplies your water. Getting anomalies, whether financial or structural, corrected quickly is part of running a successful business, and being familiar with the bills you pay will help you understand your business better. By following our advice, you can take the first steps by finding that information out, and if it all looks a little daunting, we can help. Need help with switching your business water supplier? Get a quote from Switchpal; it’ll only take a minute.