Water is a precious resource that will come under increasing demand as the population of the UK continues to grow and adapt due to climate change. By thinking and acting sustainably today, we can ensure there’s enough for us all tomorrow. We’d like you to help us look after the environment by reducing excess water usage in new homes.

We’re offering incentives for three levels of water efficiency. Depending on the criteria achieved, you could get a payment of up to £350 per property.

If you can show us that you have built a new home to no more than 100 litres per person per day you can apply for one of the following incentive payments:

• 100 litres (per person per day) or less, £250 incentive
• 90 litres (per person per day) or less, £300 incentive
• 85 litres (per person per day) or less, £350 incentive 

Here are a some really important points about our water efficiency incentives that we need you to be aware of:

• Your application must be accompanied by evidence of qualification, this will be a completed fittings table demonstrating your fittings do not exceed the maximum capacity/flow rates for each fitting installed measured at 3 bar pressure along with the data sheets for each fitting being used.
• The property must have a WC, shower, bath, basin taps and sink taps. The efficiency of dishwashers and washing machines will only be assessed if installed by the developer.
• We will only accept flow regulators that form part of the original Regulation 4 product approval certificate and can be evidenced via the associated data sheet.

Regardless of our Environmental Incentives, you must ensure all fixtures and fittings installed comply with Regulation 4, of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.

The installation of a rain garden can help prevent flooding as they absorb rainwater run-off following downpours and reduce peak flows to watercourses.

In simple terms, a rain garden is a shallow area of ground or dip which receives run-off from roofs and other hard surfaces. Storm water fills the rain garden and then slowly drains into the ground. The rain garden is planted with plants that can stand waterlogging for up to 48 hours offering an attractive, low maintenance and wildlife friendly space.

More information on rain gardens can be found online such as on the RHS and the Susdrain websites.

We’re offering an incentive of £100 per property for the installation of a rain garden.

Here are a some really important points about our rain garden incentive that we need you to be aware of:

• You can apply for our rain garden incentive if the planning authority has approved a surface water drainage solution that connects to a Severn Trent public sewer.
• Your rain garden must be additional to any planning requirements.
• Your rain garden must have a minimum surface area equal to 20% of the roof area that drains into the rain garden, and a minimum depth of 15cm at its shallowest point.
• The roof that drains into the garden must be the property’s main roof.
• Incentive payments for qualifying apartments/flats will be 1 payment for each top floor domestic property, e.g. a block of 20 apartments with 4 domestic apartments on the top floor will receive 4 times the incentive payment.
• Your completed application must be accompanied by the following:

1.  specification of rain garden installed, including area of main roof and area and depth
2.  photos showing the surrounding area and the rain garden, clearly showing the drain from the main roof
3.  your planning approval notice, that clearly details the approved surface water strategy agreed by the planning authority

Installation of permeable surfaces for parking areas and driveways, in place of traditional surfaces, can help prevent flooding by reducing peak flows to watercourses. They can also help reduce the effects of pollution in run-off on the environment.

Examples of permeable surfaces accepted, but not limited to, are:

• Porous concrete block paving or porous concrete
• Loose gravel
• Porous asphalt

We’re offering an incentive of £275 per property for the installation of a permeable driveway or parking space.

Here are a some really important points about our rain garden incentive that we need you to be aware of:

• Your permeable surface must additional to any planning requirements and must allow rainwater to infiltrate into the ground.
• Driveways will receive one incentive payment regardless of the number of vehicles it can hold.
• Flats/apartments will receive payments for the number of properties with a parking space, e.g. a block of 20 apartments with 10 parking spaces will receive 10 incentive payments subject to being compliant with the qualifying criteria.
• Payments are limited to one per flat/apartment regardless of the number of parking spaces allocated to the flat/apartment.
• Your completed application must be accompanied by the following:

1.  the specification of the permeable surface to be installed
2.  a photograph of the surrounding area and of the permeable surface installed
3.  your planning approval notice, that clearly details the approved surface water strategy agreed by the planning authority

You must notify us of your intention to apply for an incentive/s when you make your initial application for a water service connection, for waste only connections you must notify us when you make your application for a wastewater connection.

You must send us a completed Environmental Incentive application form along with the appropriate evidence within 12 weeks of making your new connection. Any applications received more than 12 weeks after your water service connection date may be considered on a case-by-case basis.  You can apply for more than one incentive on each application form.

All fittings, rain gardens and/or permeable surfaces must be installed before making the application. 

You must give us 15 working days after making your Environmental Incentive application to allow us to physically audit your property, should we choose to.

Severn Trent Environmental Incentives application form 2025-2026 (opens as Excel)

We will complete a desktop audit of all applications, if your application fails the desktop audit we will help you and give you the opportunity to rectify your application.  We will do this once, failing a second desktop application for the same property will mean that your application has not been successful, and no incentive payment will be made.

If your application passes the desktop audit, we may conduct a physical audit of your property, which can be in-person, via self-serve video and images of site or video call.

You must allow us 15 working days after your Environmental Incentive application to perform this audit. Your property must be unoccupied and remain in your ownership during this period. By applying, you agree to these audits.

If your property fails the physical audit, you won’t receive the incentive for that property. You can defer audits for other properties scheduled for the same visit, but a re-audit fee will apply. Incentives won’t be paid for properties that fail audits, and repeated failures will incur a financial penalty.

Please note that any audit for Environmental Incentives should not be confused with a water regulations inspection.