2026–2027 Water Price Changes for Businesses: What You Need to Know

The 2026/27 wholesale water price changes are set to impact non household customers across the UK. With increases across water, sewerage and drainage charges, many businesses will see higher bills in the coming year.

However, the impact is not consistent. Costs vary by region, charge type, and site setup. Understanding these changes is key to managing business water costs effectively.

What’s Changing in 2026/27?

Wholesale charges are rising across most water companies, but not at the same rate. The level of increase depends on:

• Your wholesaler 
• Whether your site is metered or unmetered 
• The type of charge applied to your site 

This means two similar sites can see very different cost increases. 

Wholesale Price Changes (2026/27)

Metered Customers

The current price changes are part of a wider shift in the water sector. Significant investment is being made into infrastructure, environmental performance, and network resilience.

As a result, wholesale costs are rising and being passed through to non household customers.

At the same time, pricing is becoming more detailed, with greater variation across charge types such as drainage and trade effluent. This makes bills harder to interpret and compare.

The Key Cost Drivers to Watch

Drainage charges

Surface water drainage is seeing some of the highest increases. It is feasible in some circumstances that the charging bands applied are incorrect, which means some businesses may be paying more than they should.

Consumption and wastage

With higher unit costs, inefficiencies such as leaks or continuous flow have a greater financial impact. What was once a small issue can now lead to significant ongoing cost.

Data accuracy

Incorrect site data, misclassified charges, or outdated records can all lead to overpayment. These issues often go unnoticed without a detailed review.

What Businesses Should Do Now

To manage rising water costs, businesses should take a more active approach:

• Review bills in detail, not just total cost 
• Check drainage and sewerage assumptions 
• Monitor usage to identify unusual or continuous flow 
• Compare performance across sites where possible 
• Check you are on a good deal with your designated Retailer

Even small inefficiencies can scale quickly under higher pricing.

Taking a Proactive Approach to Water Costs

As business water costs continue to rise, visibility and control are becoming more important.

Many organisations are now moving towards ongoing monitoring to better understand usage patterns and quickly identify issues such as leaks. In some cases, detailed site surveys can also highlight incorrect charging or opportunities to reduce drainage costs.

Addressing these areas early can help prevent unnecessary spend and improve long term cost control.

Final Thought

The 2026/27 changes highlight a clear shift in how water should be managed.

What was once a passive utility cost now requires active oversight. Businesses that understand their charges, monitor their usage, and act on inefficiencies will be in a stronger position to manage rising costs.