Business water
Water scarcity &
your business
Why efficiency matters more
Bill review · no obligation- The water regulator (Ofwat) has set expectations for 2027-28 that give more weight to water scarcity and efficiency when charges are set.
- For businesses, using water efficiently increasingly affects both your bill and your environmental standing.
- Practical steps — fixing leaks, efficient fittings, staff habits — cut usage and cost at low or no cost.
- You pay for water twice (supply in and wastewater out), so every litre saved counts twice.
For a long time, business water was something most owners rarely thought about. That's changing. With water scarcity rising up the agenda, the regulator has signalled that efficiency will play a bigger role in how charges are set — which makes using water well a genuine business issue.
What's changing
In late 2026 the water regulator, Ofwat, set out new expectations for the 2027-28 period, asking water companies to explain rising bills more clearly and to give greater weight to water scarcity and efficiency when setting charges. The direction of travel is clear: water is a finite resource, and efficiency is increasingly rewarded.
Why it matters for your business
Two reasons. First, cost — because you pay for water both coming in (supply) and going out (wastewater), reducing usage cuts your bill twice over. Second, resilience and reputation — efficient water use lowers your exposure to rising charges and supports your environmental credentials.
Practical steps that pay off
- Find and fix leaks, including hidden ones — an overnight meter check (reading last thing at night and first thing in the morning with nothing running) reveals them.
- Fit efficient devices — tap aerators, flow restrictors and dual-flush or sensor controls.
- Bring staff on board — most waste is behavioural and costs nothing to change.
We cover these in detail in our guide on business water efficiency.
Don't forget the bill itself
Efficiency cuts usage, but checking your bill cuts waste of a different kind — overcharges like surface-water drainage you don't use or estimated reads. Both are worth reviewing together.
Want to use less and pay less? We'll review your business water bill and usage and flag the savings — free, no obligation. Call 0845 862 1947 or get in touch.
Water efficiency used to be a nice-to-have. As scarcity shapes how charges are set, it's becoming a smart, cost-saving habit — and the steps to get there are cheap, simple and doubly rewarding.