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Read through our FAQs if you have any queries about your business water supply.
Our invoicing system for Trade Effluent – TEIP – is designed to produce the most accurate invoices possible, which will always reconcile against Wholesale charges. Many customers want to know that their charges are auditable and can be tracked back to these Wholesale charges. Unfortunately, if the Wholesaler enters sampling data in the Central Market Operating System after the month in which it is due to be recorded, this gives rise to a change in charges. This is an issue affecting all areas of England, not just Castle Water. We prefer to always be transparent, and therefore will send a revised bill. We are working with the Market Operator to stop the late upload of sampling data, which we think is unnecessary, and hope that sometime soon we will be able to eliminate the need for these reconciliations.
Trade Effluent is any liquid waste discharged into the sewers from a business or industrial process. Trade Effluent is regulated to ensure the sewerage network can adequately handle and treat the waste. This is to protect the health and safety of staff and to protect the environment.
The types of businesses that normally require a consent include: car washes, launderettes and dry cleaners, transport depots, breweries, dairies and commercial swimming pools. Trade effluent customers can be large or small businesses.
Trade effluent does not include waste that is classed as regular sewerage – waste water from kitchens, bathrooms and toilets; therefore, most hotels, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and hairdressers.
To regulate Trade Effluent, businesses are provided with a licence, or discharge consent. Samples of the trade effluent discharge are taken regularly to ensure customers are complying with the terms of their consent.
It is a criminal offence to discharge trade effluent waste without a consent.
If you believe that your business may require a Trade Effluent consent, please complete the application form and send it to us.
To begin the Process, please select the relevant region below
Application guidance note
or alternatively email Castle Water’s Trade Effluent Team at TEConsents@castlewater.co.uk, if you have any further queries. You can also visit our trade effluent FAQ section.
Please login to MyAccount and navigate to the Premises page where you can add premises to your account.
To be considered for Key Account status, we expect you to have multiple locations and to have an annual spend of £30,000 or more on your Castle Water bills. Our Key Accounts are managed by a specialist team. You can request to have a dedicated Customer Relationship Manager, who is based in London and will be able to visit your site. This is managed on a case by case basis. If you would like more information, please contact us.
Many of our customers have temporarily closed and reopened in recent months so it’s taking us longer than normal to close and open accounts when our customers move. Thank you for your patience. If your premises is metered and you haven’t already done so, please provide us a meter reading.
You can pay by debit or credit card online here.
Yes. Complete the relevant Direct Debit mandate for your business here.
When we set up your Direct Debit, we will start collecting your monthly payments as soon as possible to make sure you avoid paying a lump sum. We may start by collecting £30 per month but we will adjust this amount as soon as we issue your first bill. We will always give you 10 working days’ notice before we collect payment.
We review your charges every year, or every six months if the supply is metered, and then divide the total balance on the account by twelve or by six to work out your fixed monthly payments.
View your bills and account balance at any time on MyAccount.
If you pay by fixed Direct Debit, you will pay the same amount every month, but we will review this regularly to make sure you’re paying the right amount. You will always be given 10 working days’ notice before we change your monthly amount. With a fixed Direct Debit, you can plan ahead and don’t need to worry about paying late. You spread out your charges and avoid paying a lump sum.
If you pay by variable Direct Debit, you will pay a different amount every time we issue a bill because your bill can vary depending on your consumption and meter readings, or other factors. On your bill, we explain that we are going to collect the full outstanding balance in one go. You will always be given 10 working days’ notice before we collect the payment. With a variable Direct Debit, you will pay less often. You don’t need to worry about paying late and you will always pay exactly what is due.
If you want to pay your bills in full by Direct Debit instead of paying in fixed monthly instalments, let us know. The amount you pay after each bill will vary according to the value of the bill. You will always pay exactly what is due.
If you want to spread out your payments in fixed monthly instalments, let us know.
To keep your charges as low as possible, remember to provide regular meter readings whenever you can. Submit your meter readings on MyAccount. We’ll add them to your account right away and make sure they are used when we calculate your next bill.
It’s important that you consider the dangers of a stagnant water system and begin to restore the flow of fresh water in your workplace. There are some simple steps that can be taken to recommission your drinking water system.
We aim to read the meter at least once every year. You can submit meter readings to us at any time here and we will use the readings when we calculate your next bill. Ofwat has said ‘where meters cannot be read, retailers should work with customers to request a meter read if it is safe to do so.’
Get all your insights from our portal. You can log in through MyAccount.
Your bill charges for the water and/or wastewater services associated with a specific address and Supply Point ID (SPID) number(s). The address and SPID are detailed on the bill at the top of page 7.
The tariffs and unit charges used to calculate your bill are detailed on page 7 of the bill. You can find more information in our Scheme of Charges available on our portal. Look for the Scheme of Charges for the area where your premises is located.
Many of our customers have temporarily closed in recent months and we’re experiencing high levels of contact as they reopen. The fastest way to get a copy of your bill is to register for our self-serve customer portal, MyAccount.
If there’s a water meter at your premises the water and wastewater charges will be calculated using meter readings. We use actual readings and estimates based on what we know about your normal consumption. You can provide meter readings at any time on our portal.
If there is no water meter at your premises, your bill is calculated based on an estimate set by the Wholesale supplier. This may be based on the Rateable Value of your premises or what’s called an ‘assessed volume’ which depends on what the Wholesaler knows about your business and what water is being used for. If you think the estimate is wrong or if you are interested in having a meter installed, let us know.
Please provide a meter reading and a photograph if it is safe for you to access your meter. Submit this via our portal and we will use this reading when we calculate your next bill.
Register for our 24-hour self-serve customer portal, MyAccount. You can submit meter readings, view and download your bills, view details of your premises and more.
If your supply is unmetered, you will receive one bill each year. Your charges are calculated using an estimate set by the Wholesaler and are fixed each year. We can calculate your charges accurately once a year, normally in March.
If your supply is metered, you will receive two bills each year, one every six months.
We require a meter reading for your business premises so that we can bill your account accurately. A meter also allows you to monitor your water usage. If you do not have a water meter and would like to enquire about getting one installed, please get in touch.
If you do not have a water meter and would like to enquire about getting one installed, please contact us.
The cost of having a meter fitted will depend on your location, and the size of the meter required. In some cases, it may be free of charge. To find out contact our team.
Wherever possible – this is sometimes inside your business premises on the supply pipe close to your stop tap. Occasionally they are placed on the outside edge of the property boundary. The installation of a meter will be subject to a survey by the water wholesaler responsible for the water and waste networks in your area.
There are some properties where it might not be possible for us fit a water meter at all. The water wholesaler in your area will determine alternative options.
Automatic Meter Reading can be particularly beneficial for larger customers with complex sites, particularly if your meter is hard to reach (for example farms), your site is prone to leaks or water usage is difficult to control (for example universities).
Castle Water has framework partners who we can put you in touch with in order to help you get set up with AMR. We can either communicate with these companies on your behalf or put you in touch with them directly.
Castle Water will take at least one meter reading each year. You can also submit a meter reading at any time.
Every business premises receiving water or wastewater services has one or two unique Supply Point Identifiers, one for water and one for wastewater. The Supply Point Identifier is also known as a SPID number.
You can find the SPID for your premises on your Castle Water bill at the top of page 7.
You can pay online by debit or credit card on our portal, or by calling 01250 718 700 and selecting our automated payment line. The fastest way to get a copy of your bill is to register for our self-serve customer portal, MyAccount.
If your payment is late you may incur Late Payment Charges and Interest.
If there are any questions that haven’t been covered, get in touch with a member of our team.