Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru) - Business Water Supplier Review

The deregulation of the water market is not as simple for Welsh business owners as it is for English and Scottish business owners. Business owners in Wales can only switch suppliers if their premises use more than 50 million litres of water per year. This is equivalent to roughly 400 domestic properties.

Still, commercial water consumers who meet this strict requirement can choose a supplier that better meets their needs. When it comes to switching business water suppliers, there are lots of things to think about. Customer service, sustainability programmes, and unit charges are all important considerations.

Dŵr Cymru is one of the biggest water suppliers in Wales, but does it live up to its reputation? Keep reading to find out what current customers think about Welsh Water’s services.

Confused about deregulation? Our business section can help business owners better understand their options.

Introduction to Dŵr Cymru

Dŵr Cymru is better known as Welsh Water. It was founded in 1989 and services homes and non-domestic properties in most of Wales, Hertfordshire, and parts of Deeside. Over three million people depend on Welsh Water for fresh water and wastewater services.

This commercial water supplier does not have any shareholders. It is a not-for-profit water company that is ‘run solely for the benefit of customers. Instead of funding shareholders, all the money that goes into Welsh Water is reinvested back into the environment.

Since taking ownership of the company in 2001, Glas Cymru has focused on reducing the company’s asset financing cost. This is the single most significant cost for suppliers in the water industry. The brains behind this innovative programme have used these savings to protect Welsh Water’s customers from unexpected expenses and to ensure that the company’s finance can remain low for years to come.

Conscientious business water consumers will be pleased to discover that Welsh Water has made a well-being commitment. This commitment is in response to the Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015. The act encourages public bodies in Wales to consider the long term impact of their decisions. Business owners can read more about Welsh Water’s programmes on the website.

Dŵr Cymru Commercial Water Services

Dŵr Cymru business water consumers can access fresh water and wastewater services. Given that Welsh Water is a not-for-profit company, it has a genuine interest in reducing the amount of water that customers use. We recommend this supplier for business owners who want genuine, transparent services that serve their needs.

Commercial water customers can also sign up for Account Management. Welsh Water has created a Business Services Team to act as a single point of contact for business owners who want streamlined services. Business owners hand over their water estate to a professional who can answer questions about billing, operations, and tailored services.

There are lots of other commercial water services to choose from. Business owners can request data logging to become more water-efficient. Data logging is also known as telemetry. A representative from Welsh Water will attach water monitoring equipment to the meter. The data is transferred to an easy-to-read online format which allows business owners to understand their hour by hour usage.

Dŵr Cymru Business Water Reviews

Dŵr Cymru business water customers can expect seamless services. This supplier has a dedicated Welsh Language Scheme which aims to support Welsh customers who want to speak to a representative in their first language. Welsh business owners can call 0800 052 6058 to speak to a representative.

But what do existing customers think about Welsh Water’s services?

There are a number of ways that business owners can gauge how well companies respond to customer complaints. One of the ways they can do this is through review sites such as Trustpilot.

Dŵr Cymru has 2.7/5 stars on Trustpilot and an overall rating of poor. It only has 164 reviews which have come from both domestic and non-domestic customers. Business owners might read reviews that are not relevant to their needs.

60% of customers think that the services are excellent, whereas 32% of customers think that the services are bad. Excellent reviews mention ‘prompt and superbly professional service’, but negative reviews contradict this. Some commercial water consumers claim that the company is for-profit and that the standard of communication is very poor.

Welsh Water does not reply to Trustpilot reviews. Customers who have had a bad experience do not receive any additional support through Trustpilot.

Dŵr Cymru Average Business Water Prices

Now that the Welsh water market is deregulated, business owners can switch suppliers to secure better unit rates. Even the smallest change in unit rates can create a large difference in monthly bills.

Welsh Water business water customers can browse through the Scheme of Charges 2022 - 2023 document on the website. The standing charge for unmeasured water services is £106.99 and the RV based charge (per poundage of RV) is £1.0706. The standard volumetric rate per cubic meter for measured water charges is £1.4492 for fresh water and £1.8757 for sewerage.

Commercial water customers can also find information for a range of other business charges on the website.

Related article: How businesses can save money on water

Why Switch Commercial Water Suppliers?

Dŵr Cymru business water customers understand the importance of good customer support. However, that is not the only reason why business owners might want to switch suppliers.

• Reduce unit rates - Business water suppliers have a range of charges. Properties that have meters receive measured charges and properties that do not have meters receive unmeasured charges. The smallest change in unit rates can make monthly payments far more manageable. Now that the Welsh water market is deregulated, water suppliers are more likely to reduce the price of their unit rates to secure new customers.
• Better customer support - Customer support plays a big part in every kind of service-based business. Water services are no different. Business owners all over Wales want to enter into contracts with companies that care about customer support.
• Accessible services - Welsh Water’s Welsh Language Scheme is designed to support all kinds of customers. More and more water suppliers are beginning to understand the importance of catering to their customers, whether that be specific services for small businesses or bilingual representatives for multilingual customers.

Not sure about switching? Business owners can read out Water Efficiency Guide and implement small changes before leaping to another supplier.

How to Switch Business Water Suppliers?

There is a lot of misinformation about switching commercial water suppliers. It is common for business owners to feel frustrated before they have even begun the process. There are so many suppliers to choose from that business owners often feel overwhelmed.

At Love Energy Savings, we take the stress away from surveying the market. Business owners often do not have the time to search through suppliers. Our business water comparison engine is designed to streamline the search process. There has never been a more hassle-free way to find suitable suppliers. Our experts have filled the generator with the best suppliers on the market.

It is as simple as waiting 60 seconds. It only takes a few seconds to add essential details to our generator. Once the details are in the generator, business owners only need to hit ‘compare now.’ In just 60 seconds they will be able to browse through a long list of suitable suppliers.

Our business water support service does not stop there. Business owners can choose a supplier and let us handle the rest.