Businesses, charities and public sector organisations in the west are a step closer to being able to choose their water and sewerage retailer, with Wessex Water seeking permission to exit the non-household retail market.
Wessex Water has applied to the Secretary of State at Defra for permission to exit the water and wastewater non-household retail market in readiness for retail separation in April 2017.
It means that while the company will continue to physically supply water and provide sewerage services for business customers, they will no longer be the first point of contact for billing or operational enquiries that business customers may have.
From the smallest high street shops to the largest public authorities, over 1.2 million eligible customers in England will be able to shop around and choose their retailer or renegotiate their existing deal.
This means they could benefit from saving money off their bill and help the environment through tailored water efficiency solutions, receive consolidated bills if they are a multiple-site business by working with a retailer that provides the right service for them.
The new water market is called Open Water and it officially opens for business on 3rd April 2017.
On this day, with approval from Defra, Wessex Water proposes to separate its wholesale business and transfer all non-household customers to water2business, a retailer it set up alongside Bristol Water.
Since 2001 all Bristol Water and Wessex Water customers have been jointly billed for their water and waste water services.
Water2business, born out of this successful joint billing venture, will be the business customers’ new supplier following the transfer under the exit process.
Andy Pymer, managing director of Wessex Water, said: “We are in a unique position of having an established and successful working relationship with water2business and are confident that customers will receive the same standards of service that they are used to from us.”
After the market opens, business customers will have their day-to-day enquiries with their retailer.
Wessex Water will continue to deliver wholesale services to retailers’ business customers and there is no change for household customers.
Business accounts will be automatically transferred to water2business so business customers don’t need to do anything, although from April 2017 they will have the option to switch to a different water retailer.
For more information, visit www.open-water.org.uk.