Liability ― water and sewage

Produced by a Tolley Value Added Tax expert
Value Added Tax
Guidance

Liability ― water and sewage

Produced by a Tolley Value Added Tax expert
Value Added Tax
Guidance
imgtext

This guidance note looks at the liability of supplies connected with water and sewage.

For an overview of VAT liability more broadly, see the Liability ― overview guidance note.

In-depth commentary on the legislation related to supplies of water and sewerage services is contained in De Voil Indirect Tax Service V4.271.

Water, sewage and connected services ― the basics

Liability of supplies of water

When considering the liability of supplies of water it is helpful to make a distinction between:

  1. water supplied for industrial activities

  2. water supplied for non-industrial activities

Water for industrial activities

Water which is supplied for what the VAT legislation calls a ‘relevant industrial activity’ will be standard-rated. The supplier is responsible for determining who is using the water and the correct VAT treatment of the supply made.

A relevant industrial activity is one of the activities described in Divisions 1–5 of the 1980 edition of the Standard Industrial Classification. The five divisions are:

  1. energy and water supply industries

  2. extraction of minerals and ores other than fuels;

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
Powered by Tolley+
  • 29 Jul 2025 10:00

Popular Articles

Subsistence expenses

Subsistence expensesIntroductionSubsistence is the amount incurred as a consequence of business travel. Typically it relates to accommodation and meal costs incurred. These amounts are allowed because they are associated with the necessary travel which is not to a permanent workplace. See the Travel

14 Jul 2020 13:43 | Produced by Tolley in association with Philip Rutherford Read more Read more

Payroll record keeping

Payroll record keepingUnder SI 2003/2682, reg 97, “...an employer must keep, for not less than 3 years after the end of the tax year to which they relate, all PAYE records which are not required to be sent to [HMRC]...”. Reasons for keeping the records include:•being able to calculate tax and

14 Jul 2020 12:52 | Produced by Tolley in association with Ian Holloway Read more Read more

Exemption ― insurance ― overview

Exemption ― insurance ― overviewThis guidance note provides an overview of the VAT treatment of insurance products and should be read in conjunction with the Insurance ― specific transactions and Exemption ― insurance ― brokers and agents guidance notes.Is insurance exempt from VAT?Supplies of

Read more Read more