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Compare and switch your nursery’s water supplier
Compare business water suppliers for nurseries and childcare settings and see how much switching could save.
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Home / Who we help / Nurseries
Last updated August 2026
Who we help
Business Water for Nurseries and Childcare
A nursery uses more water than its size suggests. Handwashing, kitchens, laundry and cleaning run all day, and margins in childcare leave little room for a bill that has drifted.
You can switch retailer. Nurseries have had that right in England since 2017. Most never have. This page covers where nursery 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 | Single settings can contract directly with retailers, and nursery groups can contract centrally across every setting. |
| Biggest savings levers | Tariff reviews, deemed contract checks and leak detection. |
| Hygiene | Constant handwashing and cleaning make usage higher per child than most owners expect, which makes the tariff worth choosing rather than inheriting. |
| 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 nurseries pay more for water than they should
The usual story on a nursery bill is that the setting opened on whatever supply arrangement existed, and it has never been compared since. The five checks further down are where that shows up.
Nursery water use is steady and hygiene-driven. Handwashing runs constantly, kitchens cater every day, and laundry and cleaning fill the gaps. A default commercial tariff prices the lot flat, and small sites are the least likely ever to have been compared.
Settings that converted from houses carry their own quirk, since the supply may have moved from a domestic to a non-household footing at conversion. It is worth checking the classification and the tariff both moved correctly.
Where it shows up
The five areas nurseries overpay
Where nurseries overpay and why it matters.
Deemed rates from opening day
A setting that opened without agreeing a contract sits on deemed rates, and many stay there for years. A supply that has never been chosen is rarely priced as if it had been.
Conversion classification never checked
A nursery converted from a house should have moved to a non-household supply at conversion. Classification and tariff do not always follow correctly, and it is worth confirming both.
Leaks running through evenings and weekends
A passing cistern or dripping tap runs unattended outside opening hours. Comparing weekend usage with weekday usage on the meter catches it early.
Surface water drainage on gardens and play areas
Charged on the footprint by default, but how drainage is assessed depends on your regional wholesaler. Where gardens and play areas drain to soakaways rather than the public sewer, the charge can be challenged, and in many wholesaler regions rebates can be backdated.
Group settings on separate default tariffs
A group running each setting 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
Surface water drainage audit across the estate uncovered £35,364 in refunds and £8,800 a year in ongoing savings.
Worth knowing
Settings, groups and who signs the contract
The water contract follows whoever holds the supply account, which is usually the operating business. A nursery group can contract centrally for every setting it runs.
Nothing in a switch affects the supply itself, and there is no visit or interruption. The official market rules for business customers are published by Open Water, the body that runs the market.
The market
Can nurseries switch water supplier?
Yes. England’s non-household water market opened to competition in April 2017 and Scotland’s opened in 2008, so every nursery and childcare setting 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 childcare 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 setting signs straight with a licensed retailer. Best for a single nursery that wants a sharper rate. You handle the comparison and the switch yourself.
Group contract across settings
Groups can put every setting on one central contract with one retailer. Efficient at volume, but each setting is tied to whichever retailer the group has 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 children or staff.
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 nurseries and childcare settings.
- 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
Nursery water FAQs
Do nurseries pay business water rates?
Yes. A nursery is a non-household customer, which is the open market we operate in. The operating business holds the account and chooses the retailer.
We converted from a house. Does that change our water setup?
It should have moved the supply to a non-household footing at conversion. It is worth confirming the classification and tariff both moved correctly, since errors at conversion can persist for years.
Is it worth comparing for a small setting?
Often, yes. Small sites are the most likely to sit on deemed or default rates precisely because nobody has ever compared them, and the check costs nothing but a recent bill.
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 children or staff.
Who fixes a supply problem at the nursery?
The regional wholesaler still owns and maintains the network up to your boundary, whichever retailer you choose. Anything on the private side of the meter is the setting’s responsibility.
We run several settings. 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 setting. 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 deemed rates or drainage.
