Why water deregulation has left some customers “high and dry” when it comes to basic water maintenance & detection services
Pipefix are experiencing a steady stream of customers who, since the introduction of deregulation on 1 April 2017, are finding the everyday maintenance services performed by the old water companies including leak detection and repair, step-testing, tank cleaning and valve testing are no longer available. This is because the new retailers set up to sell water directly to customers in a competitive environment do not have any service delivery capability.
Gary Butt, MD of Pipefix, explains, “Since deregulation came in to place on 1 April, the wholesalers are no longer allowed to talk to their old customers about their water. The wholesalers now sell only to the retailers. Data protection rules and OFWAT regulations strictly forbid the wholesaler inspectors to talk to their old customers and many customers are confused about where to go for the basic water maintenance services they had always taken for granted from their previous or existing water company.
“At Pipefix we are keen to let customers know that these services are available from experienced companies like Pipefix. We work with retailers like Water2Business, the retail arm of Wessex Water, and have noticed that despite the best efforts of the various water companies who have sent letters to their customers explaining the changes, many are still very confused and surprised that these services are no longer included in the price they pay for their water.”
Pipefix is a private contractor which has been in business for 20 years. The business offers a range of water & sewerage services covering the complete water cycle from abstraction and treatment through to distribution, consumption and on through to final treatment and disposal as waste.
Its leak detection teams have a 100% success rate, and many leaks can be fixed on the same day.
Pipefix is keen to educate business decision makers about the changes and is happy to offer advice and estimates to companies free of charge.
