Author: Bria Murray

Bria Murray / April 7, 2026

Water and sewage bills are comprised of multiple components; for businesses those components are extensive and complex, setting them apart from residential bills and making them more challenging to interpret.  Even when you crunch the numbers, it might feel like it’s not adding up. The reality is that your business’ high water bills are most likely the result of hidden leaks and confusion surrounding sewer charges.  In this article, we will go over these hidden costs as well as other factors affecting your water bill.  

Industrial water waste  

Leaks and inefficient use mean that globally about 30% of water is wasted per day – the equivalent of around 9.5 trillion litres. That is equal to approximately 64 billion bathtubs.  These numbers not only put into perspective the reality of water waste, but the severe impact of leaks. If your business is housed on a commercial property, it is more than likely your property is victim to hidden, underground leaks that are unknown to the owners, resulting in gallons of water wasted.  Medium also brings forth another critical reason for high water and sewage bills – evaporation. Utility companies base their charges on the water entering your building, since most of it returns to the building as sewage. However, many commercial properties use certain industrial equipment such as cooling towers and irrigation systems, which causes most of that water to evaporate and therefore never even become sewage. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help your bill, because you are still getting charged for it.   

You might be flushing your money down the drain – literally 

Businesses must account not only for water waste from large-scale industrial systems, but also for inefficiencies caused by everyday equipment that may be faulty or under-performing.  A leaking toilet can waste nearly 100 gallons of water each day, while a dripping tap can lead to even greater water loss over time. Companies with commercial properties often overlook these issues as other priorities are usually more prevalent. It is important to note that these inefficiencies not only waste water, but also contribute to higher sewage bills.  

What can your business do? 

Even though these issues can cause significant financial and system impacts, there are steps you can take to improving the over health of your business:  

• Make sure you invest in up-to-date, advanced water sensor monitors – these systems will allow your company to view accurate data required to swiftly locate leaks. 

• Claim evaporation credits – these water sensor monitors can also calculate how much water your cooling towers evaporate. Using this data, your utility company will allow you to apply for credits in order to reduce your sewer charges. 

• Install modern equipment and technology – a simple change such as purchasing high efficiency toilets can decrease water usage tremendously, while preventing waste. Businesses in the restaurant industry can invest in touch-free faucets and high-pressure sprayers, these increase health and safety while conserving water.  

 In conclusion… 

Whether your business is considered industrial or if it sits on a smaller scale, it still can fall victim to water and sewage waste. Although they may seem minor in the grand scheme, these issues can easily be overlooked and wreak havoc on your systems. Luckily if you are proactive, there are solutions available so your company can hold its bottom line with confidence.