Frequently Asked Questions

Please email myaccountsignup@castlewater.co.uk with a list of the account numbers, and premises addresses.  Please include your login email address that you use for MyAccount.

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

• For premises in Scotland
• For premises in England

Application guidance note

• For premises in Scotland
• For premises in England

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.

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.

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. To see an example, visit https://www.castlewater.co.uk/help-support/billing/direct-debit.

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. Find out more about how your Direct Debit is calculated by visiting https://www.castlewater.co.uk/help-support/billing/direct-debit.

If your business had to close again due to the lockdown, you will still be charged for water services. To keep your charges as low as possible, remember to provide regular meter readings whenever you can. Submit your meter readings on our website at castlewater.co.uk/meterread. We'll add them to your account right away and make sure they are used when we calculate your next bill.

Ofwat allowed a period of reduced charges for businesses who were closed due to Covid-19 between 16 March 2020 and 31 July 2020. The period was ended by Ofwat on 31 July 2020 so we are required to charge in full from 1 August 2020 onwards (unless your business premises was fully vacated). Premises are only treated as vacant (and therefore not charged except for any consumption) if they satisfy the requirements of i) being unfurnished; and ii) having no stock.

Please let us know if you have since removed furniture, stock and other moveable equipment.

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. Read our blog post to read advice from Water UK.

If your premises have been temporarily closed during the lockdown and/or you are struggling to pay because of the effects of Covid-19 on your business, please let us know by applying for our Repayment Scheme. It’s important that there is sufficient funding to provide a clean, safe water supply but you may be able to spread out payments.

Ofwat only allow temporary closures associated with Covid-19 for the period 16 March to 31 July 2020. Charges will be due before and after this period even if your business was or still is closed.

If your supply is metered, provide an up-to-date meter reading at castlewater.co.uk/meterread and we will use this when we calculate your next bill.

We are in the process of finishing recalculating charges for customers who have not yet been rebilled and who have informed us they closed during the lockdown. Many customers will have received a credit cancelling fixed charges that we had billed, while others will have received bills which didn’t include any fixed charges.

If you have told us that you were closed between 16 March and 31 July but are unsure whether your bills have been updated to reflect the closure period, complete our Covid-19 Closure Form now and we will review your account. If we still need to recalculate the charges, we’ll do this now and let you know.

If you will not be re-opening your business, please let us know by completing a Move Out form at castlewater.co.uk/movingpremises. Let us know on the form when you first closed your business and the date you moved out permanently.

If your premises is metered and water consumption was recorded on the meter while you were closed, Ofwat states that charges will still be due.

You may have closed earlier than 16 March 2020 or remain closed beyond 31 July 2020, but Ofwat only allows temporary closures associated with Covid-19 for that 4-month period. Beyond this, charges will be due.

If your business premises was temporarily closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, please complete our Covid-19 Closure Form to let us know.

Metered consumption will still be charged even if your business was or is closed. If your supply is metered and you are still using less water than normal, provide an up-to-date meter reading at castlewater.co.uk/meterread and we will use this when we calculate your next bill.

If your supply is on an unmetered or assessed tariff, let us know about any changes to the number of employees or hours of business using the form at Business Assessed Review Form.

Ofwat only allow temporary closures associated with Covid-19 for the period 16 March to 31 July 2020. Charges will be due before and after this period even if your business was or still is closed.

Set up a Direct Debit, the quickest and easiest way to pay your bills. Go to castlewater.co.uk/dd-setup.

You can also register for MyAccount – our online self-serve customer portal giving you 24/7 access to manage your Castle Water account(s). You can view and download your bills, view your account balance, submit meter readings, update your details and more, anywhere, anytime! Register at castlewater.co.uk/myaccount and view your bills automatically.

Ofwat has decided that water charges are payable from 1 August 2020 by all customers who temporarily closed during the COVID-19 lockdown, even if you haven’t reopened, had to close again in a later lockdown, or business hasn’t returned to normal. 31 July 2020 is the latest date Ofwat permits us to treat you as having been closed.

From 1 August 2020, your charges can be reduced if your premises is “vacant”, but not just closed. It’s vacant if, among other criteria, there is no stock or furniture in the building.

If your water consumption has reduced, send us meter readings which we will use when we calculate your next bill. You can submit a meter reading here.

Ofwat has stipulated that “any” water consumption must be paid for, even where a business was closed. If you didn’t provide a meter reading when your business reopened, we will have estimated consumption for the period, but we won’t have charged fixed charges. If usage was lower than normal this will be reflected in your next bill when we have an up-to-date meter reading. You can submit a meter reading here.

We aim to read the meter at least once every year but realistically we can’t read all meters in the first few months after the end of lockdown and reading internal meters is still challenging due to social distancing measures. 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.'

Ofwat allowed reduced charges for businesses closed due to the lockdown between 16 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 only. Ofwat has said they won’t reinstate reduced charges for temporary closures where there is a local lockdown. This means you will be charged from 1 August 2020, even if you’ve had to close your business again.

If it’s safe for you to read the meter, provide meter readings via our website so we can ensure the reduced consumption is reflected in your water bills.

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. To register for MyAccount go to myaccount.castlewater.co.uk/register. Once registered, your bills will be available immediately however, please note that this may take a little longer for trade effluent and consolidated billing customers.

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 at castlewater.co.uk/meterread. For more detail and help understanding your bill, go to castlewater.co.uk/billexplained.

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 website at castlewater.co.uk/meterreading 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. To register for MyAccount, please click here. Once registered, your bills will be available immediately however, please note that this may take a little longer for trade effluent and consolidated billing customers.

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. Find out more at https://www.castlewater.co.uk/blog/how-we-ensure-youre-paying-the-right-amount-for-your-business-water.

View your bills and account balance at any time on MyAccount.

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 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 more fill in this form and a member of our team will contact you shortly.

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.

Meter reads can be submitted here.

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.

We are currently experiencing high levels of customer contact. To avoid a wait, please take time to browse our other Frequently Asked Questions.

You can call us between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday on 01250 718 700. Alternatively, use web chat, our contact form at castlewater.co.uk/contact, or email support@castlewater.co.uk.

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. Click here to find out more.

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 at castlewater.co.uk/paybill, 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. To register for MyAccount go to myaccount.castlewater.co.uk/register. You should be able to see your bill within 24 hours of registering.

If your payment is late you may incur Late Payment Charges and Interest.