Water connections
New water connections and mains, applied for and checked
From a single service pipe to the mains for a whole development. We pick the right legal route, apply to the water company, check every charge and coordinate the water company or a self-lay provider through to a live supply.
Why water is often the slowest connection on site
New water supplies are provided by the regional water company under the Water Industry Act 1991. Each company publishes its own charges every year, uses its own forms and inspects your pipework before it connects. In England, Ofwat's charging rules for new connections changed again from 1 April 2026.
Water also takes longer than most people expect. If a new main is needed, it has to be designed, built and tested before any home can connect. Street works permits can push dates back too. Thames Water, for example, says planning a service connection date can take up to three months because of permits.
We work out the right route, prepare the application with the layout and flow details the company asks for, and check the quote line by line before you pay it.
We handle water applications for
- New service connections to single homes
- Mains requisitions for developments
- Self-lay schemes with accredited providers
- Flats and conversions, including metering
- Commercial and industrial supplies
- Pre-development capacity enquiries
- Building water and standpipes
- Supply upgrades and meter moves
Section 45, 41 or 51A: which route does your site need?
The Water Industry Act sets out different ways to get water to a site. Choosing the right one first saves a second application.
| Route | What it is | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Section 45 Service connection | The water company's duty to connect a building to its water main. Your groundworker lays the supply pipe on your land, and the company makes the connection to its main. | Single homes, small sites and units next to an existing main. |
| Section 41 Requisition of a main | You formally ask the water company to lay a new main to serve your site. The company designs and builds it, and charges you for the site-specific work. | Developments with no suitable main nearby, or where a main has to run through the site. |
| Section 51A Self-lay | An accredited self-lay provider designs and lays the main and services to the company's standards. The company then adopts them under a Section 51A agreement. | Developments where you want more control of the programme or the cost. |
| NAV New appointee | A company appointed to own and run the water network on a site instead of the regional company. The water equivalent of an independent electricity network. | Larger developments, often alongside other utilities. |
Need an existing main or sewer moved? That is a diversion under Section 185, at the cost of the person asking. See disconnections and diversions.
Self-lay can save time, but know the 2026 rules
Self-lay providers are accredited under the Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS), run by LRQA for the water companies. Accreditation is split into scopes: design, project management, mains and services. We check a provider holds the scopes your job needs.
A self-lay provider can often fit the water main into the same programme as the other utilities, sometimes in a shared trench. The water company still approves the design, inspects the work and adopts the finished main.
Under Section 51A, the water company's charges must cover only the site-specific work. They must not include network reinforcement, which is paid for through infrastructure charges instead.
Don't budget for an asset payment
Older self-lay marketing promises an asset payment when the water company adopts the main. Under Ofwat's rules for English water companies from April 2026, companies must not make asset payments for adopted water mains, communication pipes or sewers.
When self-lay is worth a look
- Larger sites with long runs of new main
- Tight programmes where the water company's dates don't fit
- Sites laying several utilities in one trench
- Phased sites that need mains ahead of each phase
What you pay the water company, and what can come off
A water quote has several parts. Each English company must publish them every year in its Charging Arrangements, with fixed charges where possible.
Site-specific charges
The cost of the work for your site: the connection, any new main and the communication pipe from the main to your supply pipe.
Infrastructure charges
A charge per connection towards reinforcing the wider network, set over rolling five-year periods. It can vary by area, must be reduced if the site was connected in the last five years, and can't pay to fix existing shortfalls.
Environmental incentives
Every English company must offer payments or discounts for water efficiency and/or sustainable drainage. They are funded by an environmental component in each connection charge. Amounts and conditions differ by company.
As one example, Affinity Water's published 2026/27 infrastructure charge is £615. Other companies publish different figures. The old income offset no longer applies to agreements made from April 2025. Welsh companies follow Ofwat's separate Welsh rules, and Scottish Water has its own process. We check each quote against the company's published charges and make sure any previous-use discount is claimed.
How a water application runs
The timings shown are Bristol Water's published targets, in calendar days, based on Water UK's levels of service. Other companies vary.
Water UK publishes each company's performance every quarter, so we can tell you how your company has been doing.
Pre-development enquiry: worth doing early
It isn't a legal requirement, but large companies strongly encourage one for developments. It tells you whether the network has capacity before you commit. Thames Water charges an upfront fee and replies in about three weeks. Anglian Water's 2025/26 fee is £741 for water and wastewater, and Anglian may object at planning if there is no capacity.
- 1
Capacity and route
We find the nearest suitable main, confirm the route and, on developments, submit a pre-development enquiry.
- 2
Application and quote
We submit the application with the layout, plot schedule, occupancy and flow details, and meter positions. Mains design and quote take 28 days for sites under 500 plots, or 42 days for larger or complex sites.
- 3
New main built and tested
If a main is needed, it is built and then tested. Bristol Water allows at least 15 days for testing before services can connect.
- 4
Supply pipe inspected
Your groundworker lays the supply pipe to the company's standards and the company inspects it. A failed inspection means another visit, so we check what they want to see.
- 5
Connected and metered
Once the inspection passes and payment is made, the company connects the service and fits the meter. We line up the date with your build.
Building water, standpipes and meters
You need water from the first day on site, long before the permanent supply is finished. Plan both together.
Building water
Mixing, cleaning and welfare all need water. Many companies let the new service be used, metered, as the building supply. We ask for this where it fits your programme.
Standpipes
Taking water from a hydrant needs the water company's permission, usually through a metered standpipe used under its terms. We check the local rules and tell you who to contact.
Meters
New homes in England and Wales are metered. Each company sets its own rules on meter positions, such as boundary boxes or wall-mounted boxes, and on metering flats. Getting this right on the layout avoids moving meters later.
More on site supplies: temporary builder's supplies.
Information for a water application
Send what you have. We'll tell you what is missing.
- Site address and a location plan
- Site layout with plot numbers and meter positions
- Number and type of homes or units, with occupancy
- Peak flow figures for commercial or larger buildings
- Drainage layout and any build-over position
- Whether the site had a water supply in the last five years
- Programme and phasing
Common water application mistakes
- Applying once the slab is down. Water is often the longest lead time. Apply when you have planning and a layout.
- Missing the previous-use discount. If the site was connected in the last five years, infrastructure charges must be reduced. Tell us what was there.
- An unready supply pipe. Pipework that fails inspection costs another visit and another wait.
- Meter positions left to chance. A meter in the wrong place can mean a second application to move it.
- Counting on an asset payment. English companies can no longer make them for adopted mains.
Our fee for managing your water application is agreed and fixed before we start. Read the connection costs guide.
Water connection questions
How long does a new water connection take?
It varies by company. Bristol Water, for example, aims to quote a service connection within 28 days and connect within 21 days once the pipe inspection passes and payment is made. Sites that need a new main take longer, and permits can add weeks.
What is a Section 45 water connection?
It is the water company's duty to connect a building to its water main, under Section 45 of the Water Industry Act 1991. It is the usual route for a single home or a few plots next to an existing main.
What is a water main requisition?
Under Section 41 of the Act you can require the water company to lay a new main to serve your site. The company designs and builds it, and you pay the site-specific cost.
What are water infrastructure charges?
Charges per connection towards reinforcing the wider network, published each year by each company. They must be reduced where the site was connected in the last five years.
Do self-lay providers still get asset payments?
Not from English water companies under Ofwat's April 2026 rules. Companies must not make asset payments for adopted mains, communication pipes or sewers, so don't rely on one in your budget.
What are environmental incentives?
Payments or discounts that every English water company must offer developers for water efficiency and/or sustainable drainage. Amounts and conditions vary, so we check what your company offers.
Do I need a pre-development enquiry?
It isn't a legal requirement, but on developments it is strongly encouraged and shows early whether the network has capacity. Companies such as Thames Water and Anglian Water charge a fee for it.
Can I get water for the build before the house is finished?
Usually. Many companies let the new service be used, metered, as a building supply, or you can use a metered standpipe with the company's permission.
Do you handle water applications in Wales and Scotland?
Yes. Welsh water companies follow Ofwat's separate Welsh rules, and Scottish Water has its own process. We handle applications across Great Britain.
Need a new water supply?
Send us the site details. We'll confirm the right route, check the charges and send a clear quote for managing your application.