✔ Our selected supplier panel ✔ Bills checked, not just switched ✔ Free and no obligation ✔ Rated 4.6 on Trustpilot
Since April 2017 every business in England has been able to choose its water retailer. Scotland has had that choice since 2008. Comparing them is straightforward once you understand what is actually being compared, and what is not.
We tender your supply across our selected supplier panel
These are the retailers on our selected supplier panel. We compare them on total cost including standing charges, not headline margin.
What You Are Actually Comparing
Less than you might think, and that is the most useful thing to know.Your water bill has two parts, and only one of them is competitive:
> Wholesale charges. Set by your regional wholesaler, who still treats the water, owns the pipes and owns the meter. Published annually. Identical whoever bills you. This is most of your bill.
> Retail margin. What the retailer adds for billing, metering, service and account management. This is the only part that varies.
So when you compare water retailers you are comparing a margin, not a price. That is why savings are typically a few percent rather than the double-digit swings you see in gas and electricity. Any comparison that implies otherwise is not being straight with you.
What a Real Water Quote Looks Like
A genuine renewal quote we ran in July 2026, anonymised. One meter, around 2,300 cubic metres a year.This is why we keep telling you the switch is not where the money is. Below is a real quote for the same meter: our transparent offer next to the business’s current supplier.
| 2026/27 | Wholesale (£/yr) | Retail charge (£/yr) | Total (£/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our offer (transparent) | 9,666 | 466 (shown) | 10,132 |
| Current supplier | 9,666 | hidden in marked-up unit rates | 10,514 |
Anonymised renewal quote, July 2026. A single meter using approximately 2,300 cubic metres of water and wastewater a year. Figures rounded to the nearest pound.
Look at what is identical and what is not. The wholesale charge is exactly the same, 9,666 pounds, because the same regional wholesaler treats and delivers the water whoever bills you. The wholesaler even states it on the quote: these are the rates every retailer buys at, regardless of size, with no mark-up.
So the entire difference between the two columns is the retail charge. Our offer shows it plainly at 466 pounds. The current supplier does not show it at all, they bury the margin inside inflated unit rates (2.75 pounds per cubic metre against our 2.55). Switching this meter saves 382 pounds, about 3.6%. Worth having, but a few percent, exactly as we said, and a fraction of what a bill audit can recover.
So What Should You Compare On?
If the price barely moves, the service is the decision.> Billing accuracy. The single biggest cost in water is not the rate, it is a wrong bill nobody catches. A retailer that bills on estimates will cost you more than one with a slightly higher margin.
> Meter reading. Actual reads or estimates? Estimated water billing compounds quietly for quarters before anyone notices.
> Consolidated billing. If you have multiple sites, one clear bill across the estate is worth more than a marginal rate difference.
> Query resolution. When a bill is wrong, how hard is it to get fixed? Invisible when you sign, extremely visible later.
> Account management. Whether anyone actually looks at your account, or it just runs.
The Comparison Most Businesses Should Run First
Not retailer against retailer. Your bill against what you should be paying.Before comparing retailers, compare your bill against reality. That is where the money is, and it is money you have already spent:
> Are you being billed for the right site? Charges landing against a unit you do not occupy is more common than it sounds. We have found and corrected exactly that.
> Are you paying surface water drainage you do not use? If your rainwater never reaches the public sewer, you should not be charged for it, and a rebate can be backdated.
> Is your wastewater assessment right? It is usually assumed to be a percentage of what you take in. If your process consumes or evaporates water, that assumption is costing you.
> Is there a leak? Water lost underground is billed to you, often as wastewater too.
A retrospective audit looks back several years. On a multi-site estate it routinely finds more than any switch would. See business water rates for how the charges break down.
What We Do
Compare your options, then make sure the bill is actually right.Market Comparison
We approach retailers with your SPIDs and consumption and compare on total cost, not headline margin.
Bill Validation
Every charge checked against what you should be paying. This is where the money usually is.
Ongoing Management
Reads chased, queries raised, errors caught before they compound. Water goes wrong quietly.
Comparing Business Water FAQs
Can I choose my business water supplier?
Yes. The non-household water market in England opened in April 2017 and Scotland in 2008. You can choose your retailer, though your regional wholesaler still supplies the water and owns the network regardless.
How much can I save by comparing business water suppliers?
Usually a few percent. Your wholesale charges are set by the regional wholesaler and do not change when you switch retailer, so only the retail margin is competitive. Larger savings normally come from correcting the bill, not changing who sends it.
Does switching water retailer affect my supply?
No. The same wholesaler treats and delivers the same water through the same pipes to the same meter. Only the billing relationship changes.
What do you need to compare my water?
Your SPID and recent consumption, both of which are on your bill. Send a recent bill and we have everything we need.
Is it worth switching water supplier at all?
Often yes, but for service rather than price. Billing accuracy, actual meter reads and consolidated billing across multiple sites are worth more than a marginal rate difference. We will tell you if switching is not worth your time.
Can I compare water for multiple sites at once?
Yes, and that is where it gets genuinely worthwhile. Multi-site estates benefit most from consolidated billing and from an audit across all SPIDs, because errors repeat across sites.
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Helen · 13 June 2017
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Catalyst are honest in informing you whether the contract (electric in my case) is the most cost effective.
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