Portsmouth Water customer information

Most household customers can have a water meter fitted free, subject to a satisfactory survey, and can revert to an unmeasured charge within twelve months if they choose.

Some types of apparatus use large quantities of water, for example a sprinkler can use as much water in one hour as a family of four uses for domestic purposes in two days. There is concern about how much water is taken from underground sources and rivers, so that we preserve the balance between the growing demand for water and the environment.

We view the efficient use of water as a partnership between ourselves and our customers and so we have decided upon a policy of metering in the following circumstances.

Where garden watering is undertaken other than by hand.
Where the property has an automatically replenished swimming pool.
For a double bath - that is a bath with a capacity of over 230 litres/50 gallons.
Where a Reverse Osmosis type water softener system is fitted.
For a power shower (Pumped and Multihead variety).

Meters are installed free for domestic customers , subject to a satisfactory survey.

If you pay to have a meter installed, subject to certain provisions, we will install the meter within 15 working days. This does not apply to the free meter option, where meters are fitted within three months of application.

To view our Code of Practice for Leakage regarding metered domestic supplies, Click here.

Should you be unhappy with any aspect of the service you receive from us, please let us know.

We will endeavour to handle complaints by telephone and in person immediately. Where a complaint is received by post, e-mail or fax we will investigate the matters raised and write to you.

We publish 'A Guide to Portsmouth Water's Complaint Procedure'. This guide gives details of how to complain, how to escalate a complaint and our timescales for response. Click here to view a copy.

If a complaint has been through our procedure and you remain unhappy with the outcome, you can contact Consumer Council For Water. Consumer Council For Water is an independent committee, set up and funded by OFWAT, that represents the interests of customers.

Consumer Council For Water,
London and South East Region,
4th Floor (South),
High Holborn House,
52-54 High Holburn,
London,
WC1V 6RL
Tel: 020 7831 4790

You will be billed separately for sewerage by Southern Water Services Limited. Queries and complaints concerning sewerage services should also be addressed to them. Their telephone number is 0845 2720845. Southern Water is an entirely separate Company to Portsmouth Water.

Where single premises are unoccupied for more than six months and you request in advance that the supply be turned off at the Company's controlling stopvalve (if available), no fee is payable and no further Water Supply charge will be made until the supply is reconnected.

For domestic properties, we will carry out free repairs if your external supply pipe has a leak. This offer extends to up to two free repairs, which could include replacing sections of your pipe.

The water pipe laid from the company's stopvalve on the boundary of your property to your house if known as the supply pipe. The pipe is owned by you and you are responsible for your maintenance.

Repairs to your supply pipe will involve excavating at your property. Our repair team will be as clean and tidy as possible during the work but you must appreciate that the area will be wet and muddy from the leakage.

We will make every effort to restore the surface as we find it but in instances where we excavate through concrete or fancy paving we may have to reinstate with tarmacadam. We will agree the reinstatement to be carried out with you before we start work. Trees and shrubs may need to be cut back or removed by us.

After the work is complete we will inform you in writing on the condition of the pipe and advise you of any steps we feel you should take in the future.


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