• Your bill, charges & how to pay▼
• Your charges explained
• VAT on bills
• How to pay
• Approved suppliers
• Competition▼
• New connections
• Standpipe hire
• Water meters
• Water regulations▼
• Water quality & hardness
• Water saving information

Your charges explained

Charges for the water used by your business will be either from meter readings or the rateable value of the property. This page tells you more about these charges.

• My business premises are fitted with a water meter. Can you tell me more about billing?
• If there is a water meter fitted at your premises your charges will be calculated every quarter, based on the amount of water consumption that has been registered by the meter. We will read your meter at least once every financial year. For our largest users we aim to read the meter at least once a month and issue a bill based on that reading. At other times your bill will be based on an estimated reading. Estimated bills are based on previous meter readings. We calculate a daily water usage and multiply this by the number of days that the bill covers.
• The charges on your bill are for

• Water supplied
• Used water
• Water standing charge
• Sewerage standing charge
• Surface water drainage

• The water and used water charges are calculated based on how much water you use.
• The water standing charge is based on the size of the meter and covers the cost of reading, billing, maintaining and - when necessary - replacing the meter. Full details of this charge can be found in our Scheme of Charges.
• The sewerage standing charge is also based on the size of the meter and covers costs charged by Severn Trent Water, the sewerage service provider for our area.
• Finally, the surface water drainage charge covers the collection and treatment of rainwater that falls on to your property and drains into public sewers. Charges for used water, sewerage standing and surface water drainage are set by Severn Trent Water. We simply collect these charges on their behalf. These charges are based upon the total site area of the premises. The details of this banding charge can be found in our Scheme of Charges.
• If you receive an estimated bill but would prefer to receive a bill based on actual usage and can give us your own meter reading, please leave the details via our Send us your meter reading form We will amend your account based on your reading and send you a replacement bill.

• I don't have a meter, so how are my charges calculated?
• If a water meter is not fitted at your premises, your water service charges are based upon the Rateable Value (RV) of your premises.
• The calculation of RV is based on the supposed rental value of a property. The RV system is operated by the Inland Revenue and takes into consideration things such as the age and type of property, number of rooms and location. The RV that we base your charges on is the valuation shown in the Inland Revenue list of 31st March 1990
• It is not related to your Council Tax banding or business rates. We will bill you annually for the period from 1st April to 31st March.
• The charges on the bill are for

• Water supplied
• Used water
• Surface water drainage

• The surface water drainage charge is built into the used water charge and covers the collection and treatment of rainwater that falls on to your property and drains into the public sewers.
• Charges for used water and surface water drainage are set by Severn Trent Water. We simply collect these charges on their behalf.

Back to top