As a business owner, you need to ensure that all of your buildings have access to water that is uncontaminated, fresh, and healthy at all times while adhering to financial constraints. For this, you need substantial knowledge about your water supply and how you are being charged.
What is Business Water?
Wholesalers are responsible for the upkeep of the network and selling water and wastewater services to retail suppliers. Retail suppliers then bundle these services and market them to end-users the same way wholesalers do with business electricity and gas.
Water supplied to commercial organizations and other non-domestic facilities is charged monthly. Customers who do not reside in their own homes are represented by establishments such as schools, health centers, clubs, and hospitals.
How are Business Water Bills Calculated?
Every water company in the UK has its method for charging non-household clients, sometimes known as commercial customers, for water and sewerage services.
The fees are calculated by considering the volume of potable water utilized and the amount of wastewater and trade effluent that the company generates.
The two types of accounts for business water charges are metered and unmetered.
Unmetered Accounts
Irish Water is the recipient of this one-time, flat-rate payment. The fee is determined by estimating the water (and wastewater) that your company consumes. The amount of water and wastewater that a company uses will be different for various sizes of businesses for various reasons, including the number of employees. For instance, compared to a hairdresser, a newsagent will incur lower costs due to the lower amount of water they consume. There is no legally mandated bare-bones fee anywhere in the legislation. Previously, each local authority was responsible for setting the rates, and those charges were evaluated annually.
Metered Accounts
The installation of a water meter to track and record the volume of water used in a commercial setting is required for a metered account. The water and wastewater meters result in a recurring fee that businesses must pay with metered accounts. The standard payment schedule for the ongoing charge is every three months.
How Business Water is Charged?
When the water supply is used for both residential and business purposes, a domestic allowance may be claimed for the water supply. Different local councils may offer different amounts for the domestic allowance.
Suppose the owner of the company participates in a public group water scheme. In that case, the local authority will assess the company fees based on the company’s consumption of water at the standard commercial rate. If the company owner participates in a private group water scheme, the group may assess fees to the company based on the amount of water it uses. They also can negotiate a flat rate with the other group members.
Unless the owner can prove that they are under financial hardship, all business properties must pay their water expenses. If you do not pay, Irish Water has the right to file a lawsuit against you in District Court to collect the service costs. Another possibility is that it will cut off or severely limit your water supply. However, this is not done very often because of the potential risks to people’s health and safety.
