Business water
How to read your
water bill
Every charge, explained
Bill review · no obligation- Your bill is built from clean water and wastewater (both charged per cubic metre used), plus fixed standing charges and often surface-water drainage.
- Check whether your meter reads are actual (A) or estimated (E) — estimates are a common source of error.
- Surface-water drainage is frequently overcharged; you may not owe it if your site doesn't drain to the public sewer.
- Wholesale charges make up most of the bill and are the same whichever retailer you use — only the smaller retail element varies.
Business water bills aren't designed to be easy to read, but they come down to a handful of charges. Once you know what each one is, you can check your bill is right — and catch the charges you may not actually owe.
The parts of your bill
- Clean water — the water supplied to you, charged per cubic metre (m3) used.
- Wastewater (sewerage) — the used water taken away, usually also per cubic metre.
- Standing charges — fixed charges to cover your meter and account.
- Surface-water and highway drainage — for rainwater running off your site into the public sewer.
Check your meter reads
Find your usage and look for an "A" (actual) or "E" (estimated) marker. Estimates can be wrong in either direction, so submitting an actual reading keeps your bill accurate and avoids catch-up bills later.
Where errors hide
The most common overcharges are surface-water drainage you don't use (if your site drains to a soakaway or watercourse rather than the public sewer), estimated reads, and the wrong meter size. We cover these in our guides on water bill errors and drainage rebates.
Wholesale vs retail
One thing worth knowing: wholesale charges make up most of your bill and are the same whichever retailer you use — only the smaller retail element differs. So checking your bill for errors often matters more than switching alone. See our guide on business water meters for more.
Want your water bill sense-checked? Send us a recent copy and we'll break it down and flag anything that looks wrong — free, no obligation. Call 0845 862 1947 or get in touch.
Once you know the parts — clean water, wastewater, standing charges and drainage — a water bill is far less daunting. Check your reads are actual, watch for drainage you don't use, and you'll always know you're paying a fair amount.