INFORMATION FOR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS
The Non-Household Water Market
On 01 April 2017 the non-household water market opened for business meaning eligible premises are no longer restricted to buying their water retail services from their regional water company, instead eligible premises are able to choose who they receive their water retail services from. Retail services include billing, bill payment and non-emergency call handling. The opening of the non-household water market was driven by a Government initiative called Open Water and the purpose is to encourage competition in the water industry as well as non-household customers having access to better and more tailored services.
What is a Retailer?
Retailers are the primary contact point for non-household customers and hold the main relationship with the non-household customer. Retailers compete with each other to provide the best services and deals for non-household customers.
What is a Wholesaler?
Portsmouth Water are not a water retail company, they are a Wholesale company only meaning you cannot choose to have your water retail services provided by Portsmouth Water, but Portsmouth Water remains responsible for the water network in our area of supply.
Where can I find out more information?
More information on the non-household water market along with a list of current water retailers can be found at https://www.open-water.org.uk/.
CONTACT US
Our opening hours are Monday – Friday from 08:30 – 16:30.
For operational queries please contact our Wholesale Service Desk using the below details:
Phone: 02392 449081
Email: [email protected]
For settlement and credit queries please contact our Finance team using the below details:
Phone: 02392 499888
Email: [email protected]
For any escalations, please contact our Business Markets Manager using the below details:
Email: [email protected]
Our postal address details are:
PO Box 99
West Street
Havant
Hampshire
PO9 1LG
CHARGES
The Company's Access Code covers details of the access principles and guidance for water supply entrants wishing to utilise the Company's network for supplying new customers.
Please email any questions to our Wholesale Service Desk at [email protected]
The Company also has a Compliance Code produced under Condition R of our Instrument of Appointment for dealing with Potential Licensed Water Suppliers and Inset Appointees.
Compliance Code March 20212025-26
Indicative Statement of Significant Changes 2025-26 - click here
Indicative Wholesale Charges - Non-household 2025-26 - click here
Indicative Charges Scheme Assurance Statement for 2025/26 - click here
2024-25
To view our 2024-25 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2024-25 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
To view our draft Wholesale Charges and accompanying assurance statement for 2024/25 click here
To view our Bulk Supply Charges for NAVs please click here
To calculate a Bulk Supply Charge for any potential NAV site, please click here
2023-24
To view our 2023-24 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2023-24 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
To view our draft Wholesale Charges and accompanying assurance statement for 2023/24 click here
To view our letter to Ofwat outlining early information on bill increases please click here
To view our Bulk Supply Charges for NAVs please click here
To calculate a Bulk Supply Charge for any potential NAV site, please click here
2022-23
To view our 2022-23 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2022-23 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
To view our Statement of any significant changes to Charges 2022-23 click here
To view our Bulk Supply Charges for NAVs please click here
To calculate a Bulk Supply Charge for any potential NAV site, please click here
2021-22
To view our 2021-22 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2021-22 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
To view our Statement of any significant changes to Charges 2021-22 click here.
To view our Bulk Supply Charges for NAVs please click here
To calculate a Bulk Supply Charge for any potential NAV site, please click here
2020-21
To view our revised 2020-2021 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the revised Assurance Statement accompanying the 2020-21 Wholesale Scheme of Charges click here
To view our Statement explaining why we have revised our Wholesale Charges Scheme for 2020/21 please click here
To view our Bulk Supply Charges for NAVs please click here
To calculate a Bulk Supply Charge for any potential NAV site, please click here
2019-20
To view our 2019-2020 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2019-20 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
To view our Bulk Charges for NAV’s please click here2018-19
To view our 2018-2019 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2018-19 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
2017-18
To view our 2017-2018 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view a spreadsheet of Portsmouth Water's Wholesale Tariffs for Non-household Customers for the year 2017/18 click here
To view the Assurance Statement accompanying the 2017-18 Wholesale Charges Scheme click here
2016-17
To view our 2016-2017 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view a spreadsheet of Portsmouth Water's Wholesale Tariffs for Non-household Customers for the year 2016/17 click here
2015-16
To view our 2015-2016 Wholesale Scheme of Charges please click here
To view a spreadsheet of Portsmouth Water's Wholesale Tariffs for Non-household Customers for the year 2015/16 click here
Non-Household Retailer Invoicing timetable and payment due dates
In accordance with the requirements of the Wholesale-Retail Code Business Terms we have set out the invoicing timetable for Primary and Non-Primary charges.
Primary Charges
The timetable for Primary Charges is set out in the attached spreadsheet. This has been split into two sections covering the Pre-Pay and Post-Pay options for ease of reference. Other useful information including payment due dates has also been included. It should be noted that those lines shaded in grey with the identifier “E” are based on estimated dates which fall outside the published MOSL settlement timetable. These are indicative only and will be updated as when the confirmed timetable is published.
Invoicing timetable Primary Charges April 2022 onwards
Invoicing timetable Primary Charges April 2021 onwards
Invoicing timetable Primary Charges April 2020 onwards
Invoicing timetable Primary Charges April 2019 onwards
Invoicing timetable Primary Charges April 2018 onwards
Non-Primary Charges
Invoices for Non-Primary Charges (as defined in our published Scheme of Charges) will be raised once the related works have been completed and approved and in any case not later than 10 business days after the end of the month in which such works have been completed and approved. Payment terms, as specified by the Business Terms will fall to the later of; 30 days after the end of the month to which the invoice relates; and 15 days after the invoice is received by the Contracting Retailer.
Temporary Disconnections Charging Policy
We will raise primary settlement charges for consumption recorded through a meter where the connection status is set to ‘temporarily disconnected’. No standing charges shall be raised.
Vacancy Charging Policy
We will raise primary settlement charges for consumption recorded through a meter where the supply point is vacant. No standing charges shall be raised.
OUR PERFORMANCE
Market Operator Services Limited, (MOSL), monitor trading parties performance in key areas in line with the Market Performance Framework. Key areas for performance monitoring include; providing timely meter reading, processing switching requests and promptly investigating any supply/network queries.
MOSL split the performance standards in to two main areas:
Market Performance Standards (MPS) are designed to ensure market data is entered in to MOSL’s central system in a timely fashion.
Operational Performance Standards (OPS) are designed to ensure operational service requests between trading parties are resolved in a timely fashion.
Trading parties MPS and OPS performance can be viewed here; https://mosl.co.uk/market-insight/market-performance/trading-party-performance.
Retailers also score Wholesalers on the service Wholesalers are providing to them through the R-MeX survey, and the results of the R-MeX survey can be viewed here; https://mosl.co.uk/chart/chartitems/rmex-dashboard
ACCREDITED ENTITIES
Portsmouth Water recognises the Water Industry Registration Scheme – Accredited Entity (WIRSAE) and will allow accredited entities, under this scheme, to carry out the following defined activities on behalf of a Retailer:
- Temporary Disconnection and Re-Connection Non-Household Premises up to and including 40mm sized supply
- Temporary Disconnection and Re-Connection Non-Household Premises over 40mm sized supply
Details of the Lloyds Register WIRSAE Scheme, including the Generic Code of Practice, can be found here https://www.lr.org/en-gb/utilities/wirs-wirsae/wirs-accreditation/ .
Details of Portsmouth Water’s Addendum to the WIRSAE Generic Code of Practice can be found here.
STANDPIPE HIRE
Our standpipe hire process has changed…
From Saturday 1 February 2020 our contract partner Aquam Water Services Ltd has taken all standpipe hires and manages the end to end process. You can contact them via the below details:
5 Fairway Business Centre
Airport Service Road
Portsmouth
PO3 5NU
023 9269 5515
[email protected]
Operating hydrants when attaching a standpipe
- Clean out the hydrant pit of any debris
- Spray the hydrant and standpipe with approved chlorine based spray solution
- Do not apply any bending or sideways load to the standpipe
- Operate the spindle at arms length
- Always open and close the hydrant in a slow and controlled manner
- Flush the hydrant to clear the connection point
- Do not cross thread the outlet
- Visually inspect the standpipe to confirm it is fitted correct
- Do not stand directly over the hydrant
- If any hydrant fails in operation, please report to Water Services immediately
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Meter reading services
Portsmouth Water can provide a meter reading service to retailers operating in our area of supply. To find out more, please contact our Wholesale Service Desk by email; [email protected]
RWG ALIGNMENT
Alignment to RWG Good Practice Guidance
The Retailer Wholesaler Group (RWG) is a MOSL trading party led group that covers operational terms and is made up from Retailers, Wholesalers, MOSL, CCW and Ofwat. The aim of the group is to promote and share good practice to improve customer service in the market.
The RWG have produced a number of ‘Good Practice Guides’. Further details of these Guides can be found on MOSL’s website here.
Please see the table below illustrating our current alignment to each good practice guide.
| RWG Good Practice Guide | Adoption Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Alignment of Wholesale Tariffs with Retail Price Control Groups | Fully | |
| Complaints | Fully | |
| Data Logging | Fully | |
| Disconnection for Non-Payment | Fully | |
| Emergency Contact Details | Fully | |
| Fixed Meter Charges | Partial | |
| Gap Site Incentive | Fully | |
| Leak Allowances | Partial | An adjustment is given if there is a fault with Company equipment |
| Meter Reading Standards | Fully | |
| Planned Activities | Fully | |
| Return to Sewer Allowances | N/A - WOC | |
| Standard Skip Codes and Processes | Fully | |
| Standardising Meter Location Free Descriptor | Fully | |
| Unplanned Events | Fully | |
| Vacancy Incentive | No | We are working with retailers to understand the true level of vacancy and therefore do not feel it is appropriate at this time to offer a vacancy incentive scheme |
| Wholesale Charges | Partial | Looking to implement for 2025-26 |
We review our policies each year and will always ask for feedback from Retailers when making any changes.
If you would like to discuss our policies or suggest any improvements, please contact our Wholesale Services team at [email protected]