What Lessons Can Businesses Take From The WaterSure Reforms?

Government reforms to the WaterSure scheme announced in March 2026 have once again brought water affordability into sharp focus. 

While the changes are aimed at supporting households, they also highlight a wider issue: the cost of water is rising, and managing it effectively is becoming increasingly important for everyone, including businesses.

For organisations that rely heavily on water, the message is clear. If households are being given new tools and protections to control costs, business customers should also be asking what steps they can take to reduce their own bills.

What the WaterSure reform tells us about rising costs

The government’s announcement confirmed that around 300,000 households will benefit from reduced water bills following the biggest overhaul of the WaterSure scheme in nearly 30 years.

The scheme already supports around 260,000 households, saving an average of £325 per year by capping bills for those with high essential water use.

These changes are designed to protect vulnerable customers who cannot reduce their water usage. But they also underline a broader reality: water bills are significant enough that government intervention is needed to keep them manageable.

Why this matters for businesses

Unlike households, businesses do not have access to schemes like WaterSure. There is no automatic cap, no national support scheme, and no safety net if usage increases.

Instead, business customers operate in a competitive market where costs depend on:

• Supplier pricing
• Contract terms
• Consumption levels
• Efficiency of water use

This creates both a risk and an opportunity. The risk is obvious: without actively managing water, businesses can end up overpaying. The opportunity is just as important – unlike domestic customers, businesses can switch water suppliers and negotiate better deals.

Is your business paying more than you need to for water?

Many UK businesses remain on default or legacy water contracts.

In practice, this often means:

• Higher tariffs than necessary
• Limited visibility over usage
• No proactive support from suppliers

Just as households are now being encouraged to review their eligibility for support schemes, businesses should be reviewing whether they are on the most competitive tariff available.

How switching water suppliers can reduce costs

Since the deregulation of the non-household water market in England in April 2017, businesses have had the ability to switch suppliers. However, many organisations still haven’t taken advantage of this.

Switching can deliver:

• Lower unit costs for water and wastewater
• Better contract terms
• Improved billing transparency
• Access to water-saving advice and tools

The process itself is often simpler than expected, particularly when managed by a specialist comparison service. Instead of dealing with paperwork and multiple suppliers, businesses can compare options in one place and switch with minimal disruption.

How can businesses reduce their water usage?

Cost control is not just about who supplies your water; it is also about how efficiently you use it. The WaterSure scheme exists because some households cannot reduce usage. Businesses, however, often have far more flexibility.

Simple steps can include:

• Monitoring usage with smart meters
• Identifying leaks or inefficiencies
• Upgrading to water-efficient appliances
• Reviewing processes that rely heavily on water

Even small improvements can have a measurable impact over time, particularly for high-usage sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing or healthcare.

Why many businesses overlook water

Water is often one of the most overlooked utilities. Energy costs tend to receive more attention, while water bills are paid with little scrutiny. But this can be a mistake. 

As the WaterSure reforms demonstrate, water costs are rising and becoming a bigger part of overall expenditure. For businesses operating on tight margins, even modest savings can make a difference.

What’s the role of water supplier comparison services?

Navigating the business water market can be complex. There are dozens of suppliers, each offering different pricing structures, contract lengths and service levels.

A comparison service simplifies this process by

• Reviewing your current usage and costs
• Comparing dozens of UK suppliers
• Identifying the most competitive deals
• Managing the entire switching process

This removes the need for time-consuming research and ensures that businesses are not missing out on potential savings.

The WaterSure reform is ultimately about fairness: ensuring that people who cannot control their water usage are not unfairly penalised. For businesses, the situation is slightly different.

You may not have access to capped bills or government-backed schemes, but you do have control over who supplies your water, and how efficiently you use it. This ultimately affects how much you pay, so it’s important to stay proactive.