For decades, water has been one of those services that most UK marinas have simply provided.
Berth holders turn on a tap, fill a tank, wash down a boat or clean equipment, and in most cases there is no separate charge for the water being consumed.
Electricity is different. It is metered, monitored and increasingly managed according to actual consumption. But water? For many marinas, it remains effectively an unlimited, unmeasured service.
The question is whether that model is still sustainable.
Water has a cost
Water may not appear to be one of the biggest costs in running a marina, particularly when compared with electricity, staffing, maintenance or infrastructure.
But multiply water consumption across hundreds of berths, multiple pontoons and a busy boating season, and the numbers can become significant. And the cost isn't simply the price of the water coming into the marina. There are the associated costs of pumping, maintaining infrastructure, repairing leaks and dealing with water that is unnecessarily consumed.
For a commercial water customer in England and Wales, water supplied through a meter is generally charged using a standing charge and a volumetric charge based on the amount of water used.
So, the marina is already paying for the resource.
The question is: how much of that cost is being passed on, managed or even understood?
The there is the visibility problem
One of the biggest challenges for marina operators isn't necessarily the cost of water itself, It is the lack of visibility. I spoke to several at this years Southampton International Boat Show and there was a look of concern when I raised the issue of water. A marina may know how much water it has purchased over the course of a year, but does it know where that water has gone?
How much was used on each pontoon? How much was used by individual berths? How much was used to fill boat tanks? How much was used for washing boats? How much was simply wasted?
And perhaps most importantly, would the marina know if a tap had been left running or if there was a leak somewhere within the system?
Water metering provides the first step towards answering those questions.
Ofwat identifies metering as an important way of understanding consumption. In August 2026, Ofwat estimated that between 1 and 1.5 billion litres of water are lost through leaks in England every day.
For marinas, where water infrastructure can stretch across large areas and hundreds of individual connections, visibility becomes particularly important.
But should marinas charge for water?
This is where the conversation becomes more interesting. The answer doesn't necessarily have to be yes. However, one customer we know had a £7,500 water bill for his marina, and his operation is not the biggest.
So, what are the options? Well, a marina could continue to include water within its berth fees. It could install metering simply to monitor consumption and identify waste. Of course, it could introduce an allowance, with excessive consumption managed separately. Or, where appropriate and commercially viable, it could move towards charging according to actual consumption.
The important point is that none of those decisions can be made particularly well without the data.
Before an operator decides whether water should remain free, be included within a service charge or become a separately charged utility, it needs to understand what is actually being consumed.
Perhaps "free water" isn't really free
There is an interesting comparison with electricity. The marina industry has increasingly recognised the importance of understanding how much electricity is being consumed, who is consuming it and when. Why should water be fundamentally different?
A berth holder using a reasonable amount of water to fill a tank is one thing. A hose being left running for hours is another. A slow leak that goes unnoticed for weeks is another. A marina operator shouldn't necessarily have to charge for every litre to benefit from knowing what is happening.
Measurement itself creates value.
It can highlight abnormal consumption. It can help identify leaks. It can show where demand is highest. It can provide evidence when looking at infrastructure improvements.
And it can give marina operators the information they need to make better commercial decisions.
Ofwat's own guidance highlights the role of metering in helping customers see the effect of measures taken to reduce water use, while its current water-efficiency work emphasises reducing demand as well as addressing leakage.
From measurement to management
This is where technology changes the conversation. Traditional water meters tell an operator how much water has passed through a particular point. Smart water management can go much further. Imagine being able to see water consumption across a marina rather than simply receiving a bill at the end of the billing period.
Imagine identifying unusual consumption without having to walk the pontoons. Imagine being able to understand which areas of the marina consume the most water. And imagine giving the berth holder visibility of their own consumption.
That changes water from an invisible overhead into a manageable utility.
The opportunity for smarter marinas
At Metpow, we believe the future of marina utilities is about giving operators greater visibility and control. Our platform can monitor water consumption alongside the wider utility infrastructure within a marina. That means operators can begin to understand water consumption at a much more granular level.
The first step doesn't have to be charging; it can simply be monitoring. Then comes understanding. Then management. And, if the marina decides that it is appropriate, charging based on actual consumption.
That could potentially create a very different relationship between the marina, its infrastructure and its berth holders. Instead of water simply being something that is supplied, it becomes something that can be measured, managed and understood.
A more sustainable approach
There is also a bigger issue here. Water is not an unlimited resource. The UK's water industry is already facing increasing pressure around supply, demand, leakage and resilience. Ofwat has identified reducing demand and using water more efficiently as an important part of ensuring future water supplies.
Marinas have an opportunity to play their part. Better measurement can encourage more responsible consumption. It can help operators find waste. It can provide berth holders with greater transparency.
And ultimately, it can help ensure that a valuable resource isn't being treated as limitless simply because it has traditionally been included within the cost of a berth.
The question isn't necessarily whether marinas should charge for water
Perhaps that is the wrong question. The more important question is:
Do marina operators know how much water they are using, where it is being used and what it is costing them?
If the answer is no, then the first step isn't necessarily introducing a water charge. The first step is measurement. Once you have the data, you have options. You can continue to provide water as part of the marina service. You can use the information to identify leaks and reduce waste. You can introduce consumption allowances. Or you can explore charging according to usage.
The commercial decision remains with the marina operator. But without accurate data, it is a decision being made in the dark.
Water has always had a cost.
Perhaps the next stage in the evolution of the smart marina is making sure that cost is visible.
Monitor. Understand. Manage.
And, where it makes sense, charge.
Ready to take control of your utilities? Speak to us today.
