Water suppliers are organizations that deliver just water and some suppliers also provide sewerage services in the UK. A water supplier delivers water to consumers within a geographical region. There are 25 water suppliers operating in the regions of England, Scotland, and Wales.
Water Suppliers & Water Rates
Your water supplier must convey water with an adequate pressure for daily consumption. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) for England and Wales regulates the quality of the drinking water. Every so often, they take water samples from different regions to ensure that all water suppliers conform with the DWI requirements for safe drinking water.
Water analyses investigate bacteria and chemical content to ensure water is safe to drink. Minimum requirements of water pressure for water suppliers should fill one imperial gallon (4.546 liters) canister in 30 seconds. Consumers pay an annual water rate for their water and sewerage services. Ofwat regulates the yearly water rate and reviews it every five years according to information from water suppliers and consumers.
Metered Water Connections
A business water supplier charges commercial organizations in the UK without a water meter in the same way as domestic consumers. The cost of water for unmetered water consumers in the UK depends on the rateable value of your property. It does not consider the volume of water consumers use. Some businesses might save money by switching to a metered water connection.
Consumers with water meters receive their water bill based on the volume of water consumption, instead of on predictions and rateable values. Water suppliers always check the consumer’s water meter to calculate the cost of supplying water and related services. Businesses with brand new plumbing can save money on their water bills with a metered water connection. An organization with outdated plumbing with potential unidentified leaks in the plumbing might not benefit from switching to a metered connection.
What Is The Cost Of A Water Meter Installation?
Most consumers can get a meter installed at no cost. Water suppliers own the water meters and perform the installation at their expense. Sometimes, it might be very expensive or impractical to install a water meter because of the property location or plumbing. In these cases, consumers must pay for the installation of the water meter (water suppliers pay for the meter).
A Leak In The Plumbing & Metered Water Connections
Decrepit plumbing means there is a higher likelihood of water leakage. Customers on a metered connection pay for the total amount of water they use. The presence of a water leak has a direct impact on the total bill. Water suppliers want to facilitate consumers to renovate their plumbing system with the help of a “leakage allowance”.
A leakage allowance allows customers to eliminate additional cost of water because of a leak. Customers need to make repairs within time to qualify for a leakage allowance. Most water suppliers provide a leakage allowance to consumers just once. Metered connections ensure that consumers and water suppliers do their best to promote environmentally friendly water consumption trends.