Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 17:00, Saturday - Sunday: Closed (Emergency 24/7)
Send Email
Wholesalers
Introduction
In the UK water market, wholesalers (also known as water companies) play a crucial role in the delivery and distribution of water and wastewater services. These companies are responsible for the provision and maintenance of the core infrastructure that supplies water to households and businesses, handling effective wastewater disposal, and ensuring that clean and safe water is available to continuously meet the demand. Their duties include sourcing water, managing reservoirs, treatment plants, and sewage systems, as well as ensuring that water quality meets stringent regulatory standards. Your wholesaler owns the water and wastewater network that supplies your premises, including the water meter, if one is installed. These companies operate regionally and often have a monopoly over the supply in their designated areas. Since wholesalers are responsible for abstracting and treating water from natural sources, transporting it through extensive pipe networks, and treating wastewater to ensure safe environmental discharge, they deal with technical challenges of maintaining and upgrading these networks, which are essential to public health and environmental protection.
The water and wastewater sector includes various regulated companies, such as regional providers offering both water and sewerage services, regional water-only providers, local companies offering either or both services, water supply licencees for large-use business customers in competitive markets, water and sewerage licencees serving eligible business customers since April 2017, and infrastructure providers handling major projects.
Wholesalers in a deregulated market
Since the deregulation of the UK water market in 2017, businesses in England, Wales and Scotland, have gained the ability to choose their water retailer, while the wholesaler remains the same. The deregulation was designed to increase competition in the water retail market, providing businesses with more options to improve their service levels and reduce costs. While businesses have greater flexibility in choosing their retailer, the wholesaler’s role in infrastructure and supply remains unchanged. For businesses operating in the deregulated water market, the interaction with wholesalers is indirect but still essential. Water retailers handle customer service, billing, and any contractual arrangements for water supply. The quality, reliability, and continuity of service are influenced by the actions of wholesalers, even though businesses may not deal with them directly on a day-to-day basis. On the other hand, household customers still receive their water services directly from regional water companies without a choice of retailer.
In England and Wales, water and wastewater services are divided into regional monopolies, where wholesalers own and maintain assets in specific geographical areas. In contrast, Scotland has a single water wholesaler, Scottish Water, which is publicly owned and responsible for all water and wastewater services across the country.
Water wholesalers play a significant role in the pursuit of sustainability and water efficiency. They manage large-scale infrastructure projects aimed at improving water conservation, reducing leaks, and minimising environmental impacts. Many wholesalers are increasingly investing in technology, data collection, and innovation to improve the efficiency of their operations and promote environmental sustainability. By partnering with businesses, wholesalers help foster water-saving initiatives and sustainable practices. While water retailers can assist businesses in developing water efficiency strategies, wholesalers’ involvement in infrastructure upgrades and water resource management is key to meeting the growing demand for sustainable water use.
Businesses can identify their retail water and sewerage provider by checking their invoice, though determining the wholesaler can sometimes be more challenging. In case you don’t know who your wholesaler in England is, you can click here and enter your post-code. For a geographical preview of locations and wholesalers, as well as additional details, you can visit the regulator’s page here. If you are located in Scotland, your wholesaler is Scottish Water.
List of wholesalers
The UK water sector comprises several regional water companies that serve different geographical areas, each responsible for water supply and treatment within its region. Wholesalers fall into three categories: water and sewerage companies, water-only companies, and local water companies. Local water companies include New Appointments and Variations (NAVs), which are companies approved by Ofwat to provide water and/or sewerage services to specific sites in place of the usual regional provider. NAVs operate under the same rules and responsibilities as the main companies and must obtain permission from Ofwat to expand their services to new locations. Below is a comprehensive list of wholesalers, including details about the areas they cover and the services they provide.
Water and wastewater companies
Water-only companies
Local water companies
Going forward
Water wholesalers are the core of the UK water sector, providing the infrastructure and expertise necessary to supply reliable clean water and handle wastewater management. In the deregulated market, businesses now have the flexibility to choose a retailer who will manage their water services, while wholesalers maintain their vital role in ensuring the continuity and quality of supply. Businesses and retailers must understand the role of wholesalers to enhance water efficiency, ensure reliable services, and achieve long-term sustainability benefits through effective collaboration.
Water wholesalers in the UK face significant challenges, including aging infrastructure requiring maintenance and upgrades, climate change causing more frequent droughts and floods, increasing water demand from population growth, and the need to comply with stricter environmental regulations by adopting sustainable practices and technologies.
The future of UK water wholesalers is likely to be influenced by technological advancements like smart meters and AI for efficient network management, sustainability initiatives to reduce environmental impact and achieve net-zero goals, and enhanced collaboration with retailers to ensure reliable water supply and improved customer experiences. As the industry moves toward a more sustainable future, wholesalers will need to embrace innovation and invest in modern solutions to meet the growing demand for reliable, high-quality water services.