Everflow Water eyes self-supply deals in England

Scottish new entrant Everflow Water has said it is looking to partner business customers in England which wish to supply their own water and wastewater retail services.

Everflow customer services director Josh Gill told Utility Week it is looking to do similar deals in the English market.

The company announced today (2 February) that it had partnered Earls Gate Water, a subsidiary of chemical company CalaChem, which is the first non-household water customer in Scotland to apply for a self-supply licence.

The partnership will take the form of a contractual agreement between the parties, and will see Everflow take on the responsibilities for the retail functions for a “much-reduced” charge in comparison to regular retail services. These include meter reading, central market operating system transactions, and wholesaler management.

Gill said: “We believe that large corporations who have the resources, can really benefit from having a direct relationship with the wholesaler.

“We’ve seen, far too often, cases where retailers can be a hindrance when it comes to supply issues. So by us taking a support role, rather than a lead in the discussions between wholesalers and customers, it places the customer back in control.”

Everflow applied to Ofwat for a water supply and sewerage licence, which would allow it to operate in the English water retail market, on 6 January.

The company was granted its licence for the Scottish market in October 2015, and said it hopes to attract businesses through a “commitment to transparent pricing”.

On 23 January, pub retailer and brewer Greene King became the first non-household water customer to apply to provide its own retail services in England when the market opens in April.