Pennon : Open for business in the new water retail market

From 1 April 2017, up to 1.2 million businesses and other non-household customers across the country will be able to choose who they buy water and wastewater services from.

Wholesale services, providing water to premises and taking wastewater away, will be unaffected, but business customers will be able to choose who provides their retail service - as they do for electricity and gas.

Household customers are unaffected by these changes.

The new freedom to choose your retailer brings a simple change for the better. Deregulation of the water industry gives business customers a new choice - the opportunity to get both clean and wastewater services from one supplier. Around the country, many business customers are currently paying multiple bills to multiple suppliers without any ability to simplify to one combined bill or negotiate on price.

Source for Business is part of Pennon Water Services, the retail arm of two well-established and highly respected groups, Pennon, owner of South West Water and Viridor, and South Staffordshire, owner of South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water.

Currently serving 180,000 business customers from Cornwall to Scotland, we can offer customers services that will help them save both time and money through lower prices and administration costs, water efficiency advice and other bespoke services.

Richard Stanbrook, Director of Pennon Water Services, said: 'We're getting positive responses from customers to the services we offer. We're talking to SMEs in particular - a customer group we feel is being largely forgotten by some of our competitors. SMEs form such a huge part of the economy so they are a group we're keen to ensure benefits from the competitive market.

'We've always valued our customers, not by size, but by how important water is to their business. Our emphasis is on enabling our customers to use water efficiently and understanding that needs will differ from business to business.

'We have a strong presence in the water hygiene market, ensuring safety and compliance - a service which is so important to many of our tourism and leisure customers. And we have launched new 'Dual Service Plans' to offer savings in both time and money to those customers who currently have to pay two bills to two providers.

'We also plan to work closely with our sister company Viridor to offer more holistic water and waste management services.'

For more information see www.sourceforbusiness.co.uk

Notes to editors

• These changes have been introduced by the Government to create a water retail market, in the belief that businesses and other non-household customers will benefit from better choice and the ability to determine the best service package to suit their needs. To find out more about the changes and how your business may benefit, visit www.open-water.org.uk

For further information please contact the Pennon press office on 01392 443020 orpressoffice@pennon-group.co.uk