Pennon Water Services Limited. 80:20 joint venture between Pennon Group Plc (80%) and South Staffordshire Plc (20%).
England & ScotlandAt a glance
Pennon Water Services, trading as Source for Business, is the business water retailer owned 80:20 by Pennon Group Plc and South Staffordshire Plc, serving more than 150,000 business customer accounts across England and Scotland.
Last reviewed 10 June 2026. Facts are drawn from Pennon Water Services (Source for Business)'s own published pages, Companies House and the MOSL dashboard snapshot (March 2026). Verify anything you intend to rely on against the current source.
Taken from the retailer's own published service pages.
When a site takes supply without a negotiated contract, for example after moving in or letting an agreement lapse, the retailer bills on its published deemed or out-of-contract terms, which differ by wholesale region and are updated each charging year. We never republish the figures: they change annually, so the only reliable source is the current document.
Pennon Water Services (Source for Business) publishes its deemed and out-of-contract terms in its own charges documents, linked below. Check the document for your wholesaler region and charging year before comparing it against a negotiated offer.
Pennon Water Services Limited (Companies House 09902835, incorporated 4 December 2015) is the non-household water retail joint venture of Pennon Group Plc, which holds 80%, and South Staffordshire Plc, which holds 20%. The venture combined the two groups' business water retail operations ahead of the English market opening in April 2017, a merger cleared by the CMA on 10 March 2017, and it now trades nationally as Source for Business. It supports more than 150,000 business customer accounts and is licensed in England's Ofwat regulated market and, since October 2021, in Scotland under a WICS water and sewerage licence.
Source for Business is the incumbent (default) retailer for businesses in the South West Water, Bournemouth Water, Cambridge Water and South Staffs Water wholesale regions, where it sets default retail pricing in line with the Ofwat Retail Exit Code and publishes an annual Charges Scheme on its publications and tariffs page. Beyond billing for water and wastewater, its published services include leak detection and repair, water audits, data loggers, trade effluent support, boreholes, rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse and business wastewater management, with sector-tailored support for agriculture, education, healthcare, leisure and tourism, and manufacturing customers.
Financially, Pennon Group's 2024/25 results (3 June 2025) show Pennon Water Services grew revenue by around 8% year on year, lifted underlying EBITDA by around 2.7% to £7.6 million and reported profit before tax of £5.4 million, up 14.9%, in a market Pennon itself calls very competitive with low margins. Leadership is in transition: Stephen Burke was named as Interim Managing Director in a November 2025 announcement, and Companies House records show Ian Cain, Pennon Group's CEO of Retail and Customer Markets, joining the board in January 2026.
Frequently asked
Pennon Water Services is an 80:20 joint venture between Pennon Group Plc and South Staffordshire Plc. Pennon Group, the London-listed owner of South West Water, holds 80%, with South Staffordshire Plc holding the remaining 20%. The venture combined the two groups' non-household retail businesses ahead of the English business water market opening in April 2017 and was cleared by the CMA on 10 March 2017. It trades nationally under the Source for Business brand.
Pennon Water Services publishes its default pricing in an annual Charges Scheme on the Source for Business publications and tariffs page, which we link to from this page. As the incumbent retailer for the South West Water, Bournemouth Water, Cambridge Water and South Staffs Water wholesale regions, it sets default retail pricing for those regions in line with the Ofwat Retail Exit Code. Rates change each charging year, so check the current Charges Scheme document, or ask a broker to benchmark a negotiated contract against it.
Source for Business can supply eligible business premises across England and Scotland. Pennon Water Services holds a retail licence in England's open water market and a WICS water and sewerage licence in Scotland, granted on 20 October 2021. It is also the incumbent (default) retailer for businesses in the South West Water, Bournemouth Water, Cambridge Water and South Staffs Water wholesale regions. The English retail market reforms do not extend to Wales.
Call Source for Business on 0330 123 0205, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (closed bank holidays). You can also email customerservices@source4b.co.uk, write to Source for Business, PO Box 9136, Bournemouth, BH11 0GF, or manage bills, meter readings and direct debits through the MyAccount online portal. For supply emergencies such as a burst main or no water, contact your regional water wholesaler rather than the retailer.
Yes, Source for Business serves multi-site portfolios across England and Scotland. Pennon Water Services supports more than 150,000 business customer accounts, holds retail licences in both nations, and has won large national contracts, including a £4.5 million deal with Unite Students covering more than 140 properties in 28 university cities. It also organises its service by sector, with tailored support for agriculture, education, healthcare, leisure and tourism, and manufacturing customers.
Your water would keep flowing and your supply points would be moved to another licensed retailer. In England, if a retailer exits unexpectedly, Ofwat directs the market operator MOSL to run an interim supply allocation, reallocating the retailer's supply points to retailers that have opted in to receive them, while the regional wholesaler continues to deliver the physical water and wastewater services. For context, Pennon Water Services was profitable in 2024/25, reporting profit before tax of £5.4 million.
Yes. In the year to 31 March 2025, Pennon Water Services grew revenue by around 8%, increased underlying EBITDA by around 2.7% to £7.6 million, and reported profit before tax of £5.4 million, up 14.9% on the prior year. Pennon Group describes the non-household retail market as very competitive with low margins, so cost control is central to the retailer's results. New business wins added £13.9 million of revenue in the year.
The most recent named leader is Stephen Burke, Interim Managing Director, quoted in a November 2025 supplier announcement. At board level, Companies House shows Ian Cain, Pennon Group's CEO of Retail and Customer Markets, appointed a director on 29 January 2026, alongside Laura Flowerdew, Barry Hayward and Charlotte Maher; then Pennon Group CEO Susan Davy left the board on 31 December 2025. No permanent managing director appointment has been announced that we could verify.
We are an independent broker, not the retailer. When you tender through us, Pennon Water Services (Source for Business) is quoted against the whole licensed Open Water retailer panel, with the wholesale charge, retailer margin and our margin shown separately on every offer. No retailer pays for placement on this page and this profile is not a ranking. Our guide to how to compare business water suppliers covers the criteria we score offers on, and our step-by-step guide to switching business water supplier walks through the CMOS process, with no interruption to supply.
Send us a recent bill per site. We tender the licensed Open Water retailer panel and come back with the best fit, with the wholesale charge, retailer margin and our margin shown separately on every quote. Or call us on 0161 521 3400.
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