Water Procurement
Our Services make buying and managing water simple and straightforward.
Water Procurement Services for Energy Action Group Members
The EAG began helping members with their water services in 2018, following the opening of the water market to competition in England in April 2017.
It has taken time to identify which services and suppliers provide realistic opportunities to save money and improve services. This is still a work in progress, but we now offer new opportunities for businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to choose who supplies their retail water services, much as we do in the way they purchase gas and electricity.
Our Services make buying and managing water simple and straightforward.
The similarities between the water, gas and electricity markets are clear cut, and our dictum of 'use less - pay less' can deliver cost savings for water over the long term.
Water Costs can represent Significant Overheads
What Water Costs are you paying for?
Water supply for businesses is complex and covers a variety of different components, depending on the activities on your site.
Most businesses water bills are comprised of these four charges.
- Water In (water supply)
- Water Out (used water/sewerage)
- Surface Drainage
- Standing Charge
We can make sure you only pay for what you are using.
Contact us now to save on your business water rates.
What information do we need to quote your business water supply?
The following information will help us to understand your current water arrangements and provide you with the best rates:
Essential
- Organisation name
- Organisation address
- SPID (Supply Point Identification Number) (should be available on your bill)
Nice to have
- Copies of water bills
- Annual consumption
- Annual spend
- Unique property reference number
- Your business’s water usage profile
Contact us now for the latest water prices for your organisation.
Are you paying the right costs for your water?
The Energy Action Group helps you understand your water costs, where they are coming from and how to reduce them.
Water charges are made up of several elements including supply and discharge, Different water suppliers apply these charges at different rates and by different methods depending on where you are and what type of meter you may have. Here are the main charges:
Business Water Charges
Business premises are charged for water usage with:
- A standing fixed charge per day
- A volumetric rate per unit of consumed water
Sewerage services, that can have four elements, which are for collecting and treating:
- Foul sewage
- Surface water drainage
- Highway drainage
- Trade effluent
Generally speaking, you are billed for the same amount of water you send out (waste-water) as you take in, although normally at a different rate. However, there are often circumstances when you will be using water onsite and not discharging it as part of your waste-water. This is known as the RTS: the percentage of water Returned to Sewer.
Examples are drinks companies using water in their products, golf courses watering greens, horticultural companies watering plants. We also are aware of companies converting water into steam, using industrial processes, food processes, restaurants and many more.
If you think you are being charged incorrectly and are not currently obtaining credit for waste-water discharge rebate you are due, then please contact us. But note, it is essential that a concise and comprehensive forensic report is compiled with corroborating evidence before approaching your supplier. Claiming refunds from water suppliers can often be an adversarial process with the burden of proof resting firmly on the shoulders of the applicant.
For a full understanding of water sewerage and effluent charges, see here.
What has changed since Water Market Deregulation?
Amongst other promised improvements are:
- Improved pricing
- Consolidated billing for all services (water, sewer, surface water)
- Water efficiency measures
- Water smart meters
- Electronic billing
- Online water and energy management platform
- Water Audits
Water Essential Services
- Do you think you are being overcharged for your water?
- Do you think you have a leak?
- Would you like to find ways to reduce your water usage?
- Would you like to move water supplier?
- Do you want to reduce your water consumption?
- Do you use water in your production processes?
- Would you like us to review your water usage and bills?
Could you be due a refund?
Water Companies do their best to charge only for the services that you use, but it’s not unusual to find that site details are wrongly recorded.
An analysis of your bills and a site visit may reveal historical billing errors.
Many companies have recovered significant sums from as far back as 6 years ago.
- Water efficiency – our structured process begins with a comprehensive audit of your water use and recommendations on improvements
- Smart metering – providing detailed data on water consumption which can be used to identify problems on the network
- Leak detection and repair – leaks often go unnoticed but our leakage specialists can identify problems and repair leaks as well