Your metered water bill explained
Help to understand each section.
We’ve broken down your metered bill, to help answer any questions you might have. Below is an 2025/2026 example bill.
Bills will vary from customer to customer. For example, if you’re paying by Direct Debit.
When you receive your bill, you see it’s is a joint bill from both Bristol Water and your sewerage provider. For most of our customers it will be Wessex Water. Bristol Water only supplies your fresh drinking water, so the water that you get from your taps in your home. Your sewerage service provider is responsible for taking water away from your house.
A: Customer number
Your customer number is a unique number that has been assigned to your account. It's helpful to have this number to hand, if you call us or submit a form online.
B: Payment reference
If you want to make a payment online or by phone, you will need to quote this number to ensure the payment is allocated to your account. Direct Debit customers will need to quote it if they want to make an ad hoc payment.
C: Total due
This is your balance at the end of the billing period.
We use your meter reading to work out your water usage over the billing period, and compare this to how much you have already paid - the amount brought forward in credit (CR).
If you have used more water than you have paid for in the billing period, the Total Due shows how much you owe (in this example £15.70) and your future payments will be adjusted to cover this amount.
If your Total Due has ‘CR’ after it, you are in credit. This means you have used less water than you have paid for in the billing period. If this amount is over £50, we will fully refund it. Either by cheque or to your bank account if you pay by Direct Debit.
Anything below £50 will roll over to the next billing period. A negative balance means you owe that amount. Please contact us to discuss this.
D: Your payment plan
This shows how much you need to pay and when.
We may adjust how much you pay based on your usage (your water meter reading), the balance on your account, and any changes to our charges.
If you pay by Direct Debit, your monthly payment is calculated to cover each months water usage and any balance due from the previous billing period. We take 6 monthly water meter readings to ensure your bill is accurate. If the amount of water you have used is more or less than you have paid for, then how much you pay is adjusted to reflect this.
For all other payment types, your bill is for the water already used during the billing period and based on your meter reading.
E: E-billing
Sign up for e-billing and easily see your account information, update your contact details and view and pay your bills online.
F: Help paying your bill
If you're worried about paying your bill. We're here to help.
We have a range of plans that can reduce your bills or help you to manage your payments.
G: Priority services
Priority Services is for customers who need extra support. By signing up for free, there are a range of services that we offer that can help make your life easier. Depending on your needs this can include having your meter read more regularly to having your bills in large print.
H: Account summary
This section shows your previous balance and total payments made to date (CR=Credit). This is used to calculate the amount brought forward, which will act as credit for your next bill.
In this example, the customer owed £20.88 from the last billing period, and has paid £230 since then by Direct Debit.
I: Water use
Your water use is calculated by working out the difference between your previous meter reading and your most recent reading, showing you the total cubic meters used for that billing period.
J: Total charges
This figure is calculated based on your water usage multiplied by our water charges and Wessex Water's sewerage charges, plus the standing charges.
In this example £224.82 is the total cost of the water and severage services over the last billing period. The customer has already paid £209.12 towards this through their Direct Debit payments, leaving a total due of £15.70.
Their future payments have been adjusted to cover this amount due, their increased water usage going forward and any changes to our charges.
K: Daily water use
This section shows your average water usage per day in litres in comparison to your previous bill and the same period last year.
Saving water would cut your water and energy bills. Visit our water saving tips to find ways of saving water.
L: Detailed account statement
This table shows a detailed breakdown of the payments you have made since your last bill.
In this example the customer has made seven payments by Direct Debit (CR=credit onto the account) totalling £230. The balance at the end of the last billing period was £20.88 owed, and their new bill reflecting their actual water usage is for £224.82. So at the end of this billing period, the customer has used £15.70 more water than they have paid for.