A brand-new water retailer – Tor Water – has applied to Ofwat for a water supply and sewerage licence, which would allow the company to participate in the newly-opened non-household water retail market.
Tor Water is a privately-financed limited company, based in Exeter, which will focus on the South West of England and seeks to provide an “unsurpassed level of customer service at a competitive price to the consumer”.
Director Jiro Wilson writes on his LinkedIn profile that he is “building the company around a team who are experts in what they do and how they do it”.
“We are definitely not an exponent of an existing water authority, so no mutton dressed as lamb to be found with us, and we intend to trade as a new market entrant in the deregulated non-household water industry.
“Tor Water is all about good practices which means I put my people first, because how are my customers ever going to be happy if the service isn’t first class? We will deliver the best in terms of ethics, practices and foster excellence in all shapes and sizes.”
The non-household water retail market opened on 1 April, allowing more than 1.2 million businesses, charities and public sector bodies to choose their water and wastewater retailer.
The market is expected to deliver up to £200 million of benefits to the economy and water customers over the next 30 years, through improved service and value for money.
Twenty-two retailers are currently licensed to operate in the market. These include new entrants, incumbent retail arms, and one large business customer which has applied to supply its own retail services.
A further three, excluding Tor Water, have applied for licences and are awaiting the final outcome.
To coincide with water market opening, Faversham House has launched Water.Retail – a new fortnightly, newsletter-style publication under the auspices of Utility Week – which will connect brokers to wholesalers, retailers and customers, and provide water retail professionals with high-value business intelligence and market insights.
Sign up to Water.Retail now and get the first two issues for free