Scottish new entrant applies for English water and sewerage licence

Scottish new entrant Everflow has applied to Ofwat for a water supply and sewerage licence, which would allow it to operate in the English water retail market.

Everflow was granted its licence for the Scottish market in October 2015. It has since sold water and wastewater services to businesses in Scotland and has now applied to do so in England too.

The company said it hopes to attract businesses through a “commitment to transparent pricing”, so that customers can see exactly what they are getting for the money they pay.

The market is due to open in April this year, allowing 1.2 million non-household customers of providers based mainly or wholly in England to choose their supplier of water and wastewater services. It will link with the existing market in Scotland, which opened to business customers in April 2008.

This application brings the total number of companies to have applied for licences to 21, since Ofwat opened the process. The regulator has predicted as many as 40 new applications in the coming year.

First licences were granted at the beginning of October. Successful applicants were: Anglian Water Business; Castle Water; Clear Business Water; Kelda Retail – now part of Three Sixty – Northumbrian Water Business – now Wave – Severn Trent and United Utilities, on behalf of Water Plus; South Staffs Water Business; SES Business Water; and Water 2 Business – a joint billing venture between Wessex Water and Bristol Water.

Companies which have submitted applications which have not yet been granted are: water management firm Waterscan; commercial gas supplier subsidiary Regent Water; new retailer The Water Retail Company; Veolia Water Retail; and Invicta Water (Water Choice South East).