For the water industry in England and Wales, 2025 has been a busy year. The publication of the long-awaited Independent Water Commission report in July produced a raft of recommendations to help the industry get back on track.
The full report, which runs to over 450 pages and is available to download on the government website, produced dozens of recommendations, including scrapping regulator Ofwat. However, for many households and businesses that are already struggling to make ends meet, one of the big focuses was on water bills.
After all, it’s been acknowledged that many of the country’s water companies have underperformed for years and have failed to invest in the country’s water infrastructure enough in that time.
However, one of the recommendations in the report is that bills will need to increase by approximately 30 per cent between now and 2030 to ensure there are sufficient funds for the investment required to improve our water and sewerage systems.
The report identified that pressure from both the government and the regulator had kept bills down for many years, which now needs to change. For households, that’s not great news as there is no opportunity to switch water suppliers.
However, as a business customer you could switch business water suppliers if you choose to, which is certainly worth looking into if bills are set to rise again in 2026.
How much are water bills going up by?
At the beginning of 2025, before the release of the Independent Water Commission report, Ofwat announced that water bills would be increasing for UK households by an average of 26 per cent over the course of 2025/26.
Following the publication of that report in the summer and its recommendation that bill increases are necessary, it’s fair to assume that come January next year, we’ll see another announcement about bills going up for consumers to help fund the investment required.
One of the other recommendations from the report, however, was to install smart water meters at UK properties to help people better understand and reduce their water usage, giving them an opportunity to also lower their bills.
How can I switch my business water supplier?
Switching your business water supplier is a very straightforward process that we can help you with. All we need is your business’ postcode and we’ll search for the various suppliers operating in your area and provide you with quotes so you can compare what you’re paying currently with what you could be paying if you switch.
If you decide you’d like to switch water suppliers, you don’t have to handle all the paperwork. You can simply tell us which of the business water contracts you’d like to move to and we’ll do the rest, including liaising with your current supplier to ensure a smooth transition to your new water service.
Perhaps most importantly, our dedicated account managers will take the time to ensure that the water contract we’re offering you is tailored to the needs of your business. That means you won’t be paying for water you’re not using, allowing you to access the most competitive rates.
What else can I do to lower my water bill?
We understand that the potential for further water bill rises can feel unsettling given how the price of many other essentials is also increasing. As a business that is paying for the water it uses, you have many opportunities to make savings by implementing simple water saving measures.
Educating your employees about the need for responsible water use is a good place to start. You’ll be amazed how much you could save by getting everyone who works on your premises to be mindful about how long they run taps for, for instance.
There are also some simple swaps you can explore, such as replacing any taps on your premises with low-flow alternatives and installing dual-flush toilets to reduce the amount of water being used out of every cistern.
Depending on the nature of your business and the type of premises you operate from, you may also want to look into rainwater harvesting. If you have any outdoor areas with plants that need watering, for instance, a basic waterbutt will likely suffice.
You could also explore options for rainwater harvesting and treatment to make this a safe and renewable source of water for your premises. This can involve channeling the rainwater from your rooftop gutters into storage tanks, where it can then be filtered or treated to make it suitable for use in certain cases.
By planning ahead now, you can hopefully mitigate any water bill rises that may be announced early next year.
