Who supplies my water?
"Who supplies my water?" is an important question to ask if you have just moved into a new house. Here is how to find out your water supplier and set up your account.
Last updated: 7 September 2020
Who is my water supplier?
You cannot switch your water supplier for one offering a better deal, like you can gas and electric or your broadband. You will simply need to find out which water suppliers run the area in which you live.
Then you can get an account set up with your water supplier and arrange how you will pay your bill — that way you will not risk having your water supply cut off.
If you have just moved in, you should be able to find out either from the previous owners, tenants or landlord.
How else can I find out who supplies my water?
If you do not have the contact details of your home's previous occupier, you can still find your supplier relatively easily.
If you live in Scotland, your water supplier will be a public company, Scottish Water.
In Northern Ireland, water and sewerage services are provided by Northern Ireland Water, a water supplier owned by the government.
If you live in England or Wales, your water will from one of 32 private companies functioning as water suppliers. You can check the Consumer Council for Water's website or the Ofwat website to find out which water supplier operates your area.
If you live on the border of two water areas, then you should contact the possible water suppliers directly for confirmation. A full list of contact details is available on the Ofwat website.
Consumer Council for Water's website
Who deals with your waste water?
Now you know the answer to "who supplies my water?", you might want to know who takes it away!
Some water suppliers supply the water to your home and collect the wastewater from your sinks and toilets.
Others only supply you with water — in these cases you will need to find the company that collect your waste water too.
What to do in an emergency
You should turn off your water at the stop tap and contact your water supplier as soon as possible. They may be able to fix the cause of the problem if they are responsible for the fault.
If your water company is not responsible, you will need to arrange repairs yourself:
If you rent your home, your landlord will need to arrange the necessary repairs following the leak. Contact your landlord or letting agency as soon as possible.
If you own your home, you will need to arrange for a plumber to fix the cause of the damage. You may be able to claim for the cost of repairs and resulting damage on your home insurance policy.
Home emergency cover could also help fix the immediate cause of the damage. You do not pay an excess, and a plumber will be sent to your home within an hour to fix the problem.
Compare home emergency insurance here
Can you save money on your water bill?
If your new property has a water meter, it is worth taking a reading and passing it on to the supplier as soon as you can. That way you can make sure your bills are accurate and you will not end up paying for water used by the previous occupiers.