We are aware that a number of clubs have been battling for several years to get their water company to provide an allowance for waste water.

We now want to find out the national picture and have launched a short survey to assess our clubs’ needs in order to assist our future negotiations with water companies on your behalf.

Most water companies automatically assume that approximately 95 per cent of the water supplied to any property is returned to the sewer and charge accordingly. However, if your usage is metered and you use a considerable amount of water in such a way that it does not return to the sewer, for example watering your bowling green, then you can apply to the company for a non-return to sewer allowance.

David Tucker, Bowls England Chair, said: “Bowls England has received feedback from a number of clubs who appear to have been overcharged by their water supplier for waste water. This means thousands of pounds a year from club funds could literally be going down the drain. We want to make national representation to the water companies on behalf of our clubs, but to do so we need some firm evidence of the current situation therefore would urge clubs to complete our short survey.”

Any club wishing to check their individual position in the short-term can do so by requesting an application form from your water company and assessing how much of a discount you are entitled to if you can evidence how much water is not returning to the sewer.

To complete the survey, which should take no more than 10 minutes, please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BE_Water_Survey

For more information e-mail: john@bowlsengland.com