The copies of Water Supply Licences set out on this page were made under Section 17A of the Water Industry Act 1991 (WIA91). The Secretary of State, after consultation with the National Assembly for Wales, has authorised us to grant such licences.

There are two types of licence as set out below:

• Retail supply licence: This allows the Licensee to purchase a wholesale supply from an appointed water company's supply system and supply the premises of its customers.
• Combined supply licence: Enables the Licensee to introduce water into a supply system and supply the premises of its customers.

The versions of the licences on this website are based on, but not intended to be a substitute for, the Water Supply Licences held on the WSRA's Register. Every reasonable effort is made to make these versions accurate and up to date, but no responsibility for their accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying on them, is accepted by Ofwat.

The Water Supply Licences held on the WSRA's Register may be inspected during normal office hours at Ofwat, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA (telephone number 0121 644 7500). Copies of the water supply licences and contact details for the water supply licensees on our website.

The Standard Conditions of Water Supply Licences were determined on 7 November 2005 by the Secretary of State under section 17H(1) WIA91.

We have published important information about Aquavitae.

Accessing water supplies

As a licensee, you must comply with regulations relating to drinking water quality set by the DWI in the same way as appointed water companies do. And you must also comply with standard licence conditions. These can be found on the Department of Food and Rural Affair's (Defra) website. 

Licensees can also apply to an appointed water company for access to its supply system. The WSL Operations Advisory Group has developed a wholesale application proforma which the water industry has agreed and recommends that it should be used by licensees when applying for access to a water company's supply system. Licensees will then need to meet the standards and requirements set by the appointed water company in its access code.

If you cannot agree the terms and conditions of a proposed access agreement with the appointed water company, you can refer the dispute to us and ask us to make a determination. We can determine the following issues:

• the eligibility of a customer's premises;
• the terms and conditions of access where these cannot be agreed between parties;

where the appointed water company has refused a wholesale supply or refused to allow the introduction of water into its supply system on the grounds of not meeting the conditions set out in the WIA91.

It is then up to you whether you accept the determination and proceed to obtain access and supply the customer(s).

For more information about this, please see our WSL determinations procedure.