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Business Water for Laundrettes
If there’s one type of business where water genuinely powers every part of the operation, it’s a laundrette. From washing and rinsing cycles to cleaning, maintaining machines, and serving a constant rotation of customers, water sits at the very heart of what you do. Because of that, laundrettes are among the highest water users in the UK, and owners often face significantly higher water bills than other small or medium-sized businesses.
Understanding your water contract and how charges apply to your laundrette is one of the most effective ways to manage costs. This guide walks you through how business water rates work, why laundrettes tend to sit in the highest usage categories, and what you can do to bring your bills down without compromising service quality.
Understanding laundrette water charges
Business water bills are made up of two main components: volumetric charges and standing charges. Volumetric charges are based on how much water you use and how much wastewater is returned to the sewer. As laundrettes run constant cycles of wash, rinse, and spin, this tends to be the largest contributor to your overall bill.
Just as an example, if your laundrette consumes 3,000 cubic metres of water per year at a unit rate of £1.25 per m³, the volumetric cost alone would already reach £3,750. And that’s before taking wastewater charges into account, which typically mirror usage as almost all water in a laundrette ends up back in the sewer.
Standing charges, by comparison, are fixed daily or monthly fees that cover infrastructure, meter maintenance, drainage networks, and administrative costs. While these charges are smaller, they still add up over the year. Together, these charges form your total business water bill.
Why laundrettes face some of the highest water bills
The nature of a laundrette’s service is what drives its water intensity. Washers must operate efficiently and consistently in order to satisfy customer demand, but the more cycles you run and the bigger your machines, the more your water use rises.
Older washing machines can be particularly inefficient, especially when compared to modern commercial units. Some older models use up to 40% more water than new-generation washers. Over the course of thousands of cycles per year, the difference in usage and cost becomes enormous.
Laundrettes also often suffer from leaks or hidden inefficiencies. A worn seal, a faulty inlet valve, or a washer that doesn’t shut off correctly can waste huge amounts of water. Because laundrettes are busy by nature, these issues sometimes go unnoticed until the next bill arrives, and by then, you may have already lost hundreds of pounds.
Reducing water costs in your laundrette
Improving efficiency in a laundrette doesn’t always mean replacing machines immediately. A good starting point is auditing your water usage. Smart meters can help you identify unusual spikes, leaks, or washers that use more water than expected. Reviewing your equipment manuals and settings can also highlight opportunities to reduce cycle lengths or adjust temperature mixes.
Regular maintenance is essential. Ensuring valves close fully, pipes remain in good condition, and filters are clean can significantly lower waste. Staff training helps too. You can teach your team to recognise early warning signs, like inconsistent water fill levels or unusual noises, to help prevent problems before they turn costly.
For laundrettes planning longer-term investment, modern commercial washing machines offer substantial savings. They use less water, extract more efficiently, and offer better cycle control, allowing you to reduce consumption without reducing performance. Some even allow partial recycling of rinse water for pre-wash cycles, a feature that can cut overall usage considerably in busy laundrettes.
Want to identify any inefficiencies in your water usage? Contact us about a business water audit today.
Why switching suppliers can help
With the water market deregulated in England and Scotland, laundrettes can choose the supplier that best matches their needs. Some retailers offer tariffs specifically designed for high-usage businesses. Others provide perks like more frequent meter readings, dedicated account managers, or detailed consumption reports that make tracking usage easier.
Switching to the right supplier can help reduce your unit rate, streamline billing, and give you more support in managing water usage. At The Business Watershop, we compare multiple suppliers to find one that aligns with your laundrette’s size, usage patterns, and goals. Many laundrettes are still on default tariffs simply because they’ve never switched, meaning they could already be paying more than they need to.
Take control of your laundrette’s water bills
Running a laundrette already comes with major operating expenses, from energy to maintenance to rent. Water doesn’t need to be one of the uncontrollable ones. By understanding your contract, identifying efficiency opportunities, and comparing suppliers, you can significantly lower your bills and improve the performance of your business.
Use our comparison tool today to see how much your laundrette could save.
