Excellent 5* Rating
Independent UK water broker
Compare and switch your gym’s water supplier
Compare business water suppliers for gyms and leisure centres and see how much switching could save.
Independent broker · Improved customer service · Switch handled for you
- Choose from up to 14 water suppliers
- Switch for better customer service
- UK-wide trusted supplier network
Home / Who we help / Gyms & leisure
Last updated August 2026
Who we help
Business Water for Gyms and Leisure Centres
Showers, pools and changing rooms make leisure one of the most water-hungry sectors there is, and the sewerage side of the bill is where the assumptions pile up.
You can switch retailer. Gyms and leisure operators have had that right in England since 2017. Most never have. This page covers where leisure water costs come from, how to switch retailer, and where overpayment usually hides.
| Wholesale supply | Comes from regional water companies (Thames Water, Severn Trent, Yorkshire Water, and others). |
|---|---|
| Contracting | Independent gyms can contract directly with retailers, and operators can contract centrally across every site. |
| Biggest savings levers | Return to sewer allowances, surface water drainage checks and tariff reviews. |
| Pools | Pool water is partly lost to evaporation and carried out on swimmers, which is exactly what a return to sewer review accounts for. |
| Market opened | England in 2017 and Scotland in 2008. |
| Licensed retailers | Around 20 are licensed by Ofwat to supply non-household water. |
Where the money goes
Why gyms and leisure centres pay more for water than they should
The usual story on a leisure bill is that showers and pools drive big volumes, the sewerage charge assumes nearly all of it returns to the drain, and nobody has tested that assumption. The five checks further down are where that shows up.
Leisure water use is heavy and constant. Showers run through every peak, pools need top-up and backwash, and cleaning never stops. A default commercial tariff prices the lot flat, whatever the site’s actual pattern.
The sewerage calculation is the big one. Pool evaporation, water carried out on swimmers and towels, and irrigation never reach the sewer, yet default billing assumes most supply does. On a wet leisure site that assumption is worth real money.
Where it shows up
The five areas leisure sites overpay
Where gyms and leisure centres overpay and why it matters.
Return to sewer assumed too high
Evaporation from pools, water carried out on swimmers and outdoor irrigation never reach the sewer. A corrected return to sewer allowance brings the sewerage charge in line with what the site actually discharges.
Surface water drainage on the whole site
Charged on the footprint by default, but how drainage is assessed depends on your regional wholesaler. Where car parks and pitches drain to soakaways rather than the public sewer, the charge can be challenged, and in many wholesaler regions rebates can be backdated.
Backwash and plant water unexamined
Filter backwash and plant room use follow their own pattern and volumes. How they are metered and treated in the bill is worth checking on any wet site.
Leaks lost in high normal usage
High baseline usage hides leaks that would stand out anywhere else. Overnight meter readings when the site is closed are the fastest check a leisure operator can run.
Sites on separate default tariffs
An operator running each site on its own inherited tariff leaves money on the table, as retailers can discount on a single contract with one point of contact.
Results
Case studies
Recovered on historic surface water drainage charges that should never have applied.
Worth knowing
Operators, trusts and councils, who signs
Leisure sites are run by private operators, charitable trusts and councils, and the water contract follows whoever holds the supply account. Whoever pays the bill has the right to choose the retailer.
Where a council owns the building and a trust operates it, the split is worth checking before a switch. The official market rules for business customers are published by Open Water, the body that runs the market.
The market
Can gyms and leisure centres switch water supplier?
Yes. England’s non-household water market opened to competition in April 2017 and Scotland’s opened in 2008, so every gym and leisure operator can choose a different water retailer. Wholesale supply still comes from your regional water company; only the retailer (the company that bills you and reads your meter) changes.
The 12 retailers below are all licensed by Ofwat to supply non-household water. Pricing, service and sector experience vary from retailer to retailer.
Choose your route
Routes to procurement
Three ways leisure operators typically bring a new water contract in. Each comes with its own trade-off between control, effort and how sharp the price lands.
Direct with a retailer
The operator signs straight with a licensed retailer. Best for a single site that wants a sharper rate. You handle the comparison and the switch yourself.
Operator-wide contract
Multi-site operators and trusts can put every site on one central contract. Efficient at volume, but each site is tied to whichever retailer was chosen.
Broker-led market test
A water broker compares the market for you, handles the paperwork and manages the switch from start to finish. Nothing changes for members.
Why choose The Business Water Shop
- Award-winning independent brokerage, not owned by or tied to any water retailer.
- Rated 5 stars on Google and 5 stars on Trustpilot by UK businesses.
- Experts with experience in business water for gyms, pools and leisure operators.
- We compare quotes from up to 14 licensed retailers.
- We handle the whole switch, from the comparison and paperwork to the supplier contact.
- One point of contact for multi-property portfolios.
Questions
Gym and leisure water FAQs
Do gyms and leisure centres pay business water rates?
Yes. Leisure sites are non-household customers, which is the open market we operate in. Whoever holds the supply account chooses the retailer.
How does the pool affect the bill?
Top-up volumes, evaporation and backwash all shape both sides of the bill. Evaporation and carry-out never reach the sewer, which is why wet sites in particular benefit from a return to sewer review.
Our showers run constantly at peak. Can the tariff reflect that?
The pattern itself does not change the published tariff, but knowing the true profile makes the comparison between retailers meaningful and shows up quickly if something on site starts wasting water.
Will switching disrupt anything on site?
No. A switch is paperwork rather than plumbing. There is no interruption to supply, no engineer visit and nothing changes for members.
We had a big refurbishment. Should the water account change?
Yes, it is worth reviewing. New plant, new showers or a pool change the profile the contract was based on, and the sewerage assumptions should move with them.
We run several sites. Can they go on one contract?
Yes. Retailers operate nationally, so a group can consolidate sites in different wholesaler regions onto a single retailer, one contract and one point of contact.
How do I get a quote?
Send a recent water bill for the site. The SPID, annual volume and current retailer are all on it. We come back within two working days with an alternative quote and a flag if anything looks worth checking on allowances or drainage.
