Compare business water suppliers

Compare business water prices – FAQs

Our business water experts answer common questions on business water comparison.

What are the types of water meters?

Most British commercial properties have a water meter that measures mains water consumption. Water companies usually hide their water meters below a cover on the pavement outside your property.

Find your meter using our visual guide to finding water meters.

Water meters come in three types:

• A traditional water meter – One that only displays water used on a dial that requires manual reading.
• A smart water meter – An upgraded water meter that transmits water consumption to your business water supplier using wireless or 4G communications.
• An AMR water meter – A water meter where the local water company has installed a wireless device that allows them to record a meter reading by driving a van with a sensor nearby.

Here’s our full guide to submitting a water meter reading.

Will business water prices increase in the future?

As with most services, water prices tend to increase over time as the costs of maintaining and operating the water network rise.

Each year in April, Ofwat adjusts the underlying wholesale water rates to reflect the increasing costs of the water network.

On the 1st of April 2024, default water rates increased by an average of 9%, with significant regional variations. Here’s a link to our complete guide to the 2024 business water rates increase.

Can universities compare business water suppliers?

Yes, universities can compare business water suppliers. Comparing suppliers not only gives you the ability to save money – but also offers you the opportunity to consolidate your billing.

Universities that have multiple buildings often find the billing process time-consuming. Using our business comparison tool, you can move all your premises onto one, making it easy to manage bills and saving time and money.

We’ve helped universities identify other ways to save money by undertaking a water audit and reducing unnecessary water consumption.

How long can I fix my business water rates for?

Typically, in fixed business water tariff contracts, the term ranges between one and three years. In such a contract, the retail fee levied by your business water supplier remains fixed throughout the term, while the underlying wholesale rates change each April.

When you compare business water rates with AquaSwitch, our experts will be able to calculate your potential savings in a one, two, or three-year contract.

Can I compare small business water rates?

Yes, small businesses can compare and switch business water suppliers, as long as the property used by your business isn’t a home.

Small businesses can make significant savings by switching away from default water contracts. Compare the water market today and determine how much your micro business can save.

For more information, here’s our guide to water rates for small businesses.

How often should I compare business water suppliers?

The most cost-effective strategy for a company to reduce business water rates is to compare the market for cheaper rates during the last three months of your current water tariff. This approach avoids unnecessarily expensive default business water charges.

In Britain, many businesses have never switched suppliers and could realise significant savings today by simply switching to a fixed business water tariff.

Who benefits from the cheapest business water supply?

The underlying cost of providing clean water to businesses across Britain depends significantly on water scarcity in your region.

Businesses in the South West of England suffer from the highest volumetric water charges. In Devon and Cornwall, annual rainfall is less than most of the country, and the distance that pipes need to travel is greater.

This means that the underlying cost of providing clean water is greater, a cost that is passed through to businesses in business water supplier charges.

In contrast, rainfall is more frequent in the Thames Water and the Anglian region, and the density of properties is higher, resulting in lower rates.

Ultimately, there is little you can do about the region in which your business is located. However, changing to a cheaper business water supplier can go a long way in reducing costs.

Can a school compare business water suppliers?

Yes, schools can compare business water suppliers since they are classified as non-household properties, so they can benefit from the deregulated water market. Schools can use our business water comparison service to compare quotes.

Start the comparison process with our simple form, letting us know your:

• Address
• Contact Details
• SPID Number

Compare business water quotes.

How can I reduce my business water bill?

AquaSwitch offers advice on several ways to reduce your business water bill.

The simplest way to reduce your business water bill is to get the cheapest possible business water rates. Compare business water rates with AquaSwitch today to quickly find the best deals on offer in the market.

A second way to reduce your business water bill is to reduce unnecessary water consumption; here are a few ways to do it:

• Check your property for leaks – Businesses can spend thousands of pounds on water leaking from broken pipes. Check out our complete guide to commercial water leaks.
• Rainwater harvesting – Some businesses use tap water to water plants in the garden. Happy plants can be achieved for free through simple rainwater harvesting.
• Tap aerators – Tap aerators reduce the volume of water used in a sink by introducing air into the water flow.

For more ideas on reducing your water consumption, read our full guide on reducing your water consumption as a business.

How long into my current contract can I compare business water suppliers?

With the AquaSwitch comparison service, you can compare your current tariff with the market anytime.

However, if you are in a fixed-term contract with your existing water supplier, you can only switch business water suppliers when your current contract ends.

At AquaSwitch, we can arrange a switch up to three months before your contract’s end date. You can avoid expensive out-of-contract rates by organising your switch ahead of time.

Can a farm compare business water suppliers?

Absolutely; at AquaSwitch, we’ve helped many farms compare business water rates and make a hassle-free switch.

In fact, agriculture is the highest water-consuming industry in the UK. In the dry summer months, many farms rely on a mains water supply to irrigate their crops, so getting a good deal on water tariffs is important to keeping costs down.

Farms generally will incur only minimal wastewater charges since the water they use doesn’t return to the drains. Our business water experts have helped farm owners by checking that these sewerage charges are fairly calculated on their bills.

Water consumption at farms tends to vary from season to season. Using historical meter reading data, our experts calculate an average annual cost for water and compare this to get the best quotes currently on offer in the market.

Do I need a SPID number to compare business water suppliers?

The Supply Point ID (SPID) is a unique identifier used in the water market. Our water experts use your SPID to look up:

• The size of your water meter
• Historical water consumption of your property
• The surface area of your property

Your SPID is displayed on all business water bills. However, if you are still looking for it, our water experts may be able to locate your SPID based on your business name and address through our business water comparison service.

Simply start with your postcode using our business water comparison service.

Can I compare business water suppliers if I’m based in Wales?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of companies in Wales cannot choose the supplier of their water services.

The exception is businesses that consume over 50 million litres of water annually. Fifty million litres is a vast amount of water, which is only applicable to a few industrial activities.

Can I compare water suppliers for my house?

Unfortunately not. Currently, in the UK, you cannot compare water suppliers. Homes are supplied by the local water wholesaler, the company that operates the water network in your area.

You can check who your water supplier is here and review the cost of domestic water vs business water.

There was a discussion surrounding the possibility of allowing the household market to switch to a private water supplier; however, that has fallen down the priority list due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can read the Ofwat report here.

How can I compare the customer services of different business water suppliers?

Comparing the levels of customer service before moving to a new supplier is important. You want to have a responsive customer service team who will quickly resolve any issues that arise.

To begin with, you will want to review their customer reviews – we recommend hopping over to Trustpilot to get an idea of what past and present customers have experienced.

It’s then worth looking at additional factors, including:

• Complaints – Look at the number and nature of complaints made against each supplier. You can find this information on the Consumer Council for Water website.
• Response times – See how quickly each supplier responds to queries and customer complaints. You can test this by making a phone call or sending an email and tracking the response time.
• Service level agreements (SLAs) – Compare the SLAs offered by different suppliers regarding response times, fault resolution times, and customer support hours.
• Additional services – Check if the suppliers offer additional services such as water efficiency advice, leak detection, or flexible billing options, which can indicate a higher level of customer care.

By comparing these factors, you can decide which business water supplier provides the best customer service.