How much does it cost to run a pond pump? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a pond pump rated at 40W costs 1.1p an hour to run and around £61.48 a year assuming 16 hours a day through the season.
Per hour
1.1p
Per typical use
17p
Per day
17p
Per week
£1.18
Per year
£61.48
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 40W for a pond pump; published figures for this appliance range from 20W to 90W. A pond pump is one of the few outdoor devices commonly left running for most of the day through the season, so even a modest wattage adds up over a year; sizing the pump correctly for the pond makes a real difference. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 16 hours a day through the season, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.
Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Elec p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 1.1p | £65.08 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 1.1p | £62.79 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 1.1p | £62.16 |
| London | 26.60 | 1.1p | £62.14 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 1.1p | £62.09 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 1.1p | £62.02 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 1.1p | £61.88 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 1.1p | £61.83 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 1.1p | £61.55 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 1.0p | £60.99 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 1.0p | £59.80 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 1.0p | £59.80 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 1.0p | £59.47 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 1.0p | £59.24 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 1.1p | £61.48 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £59.24 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £65.08 a year — a gap of £5.84 for identical use.
How a pond pump compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in garden & other, GB average:
- pond pump — £61.48 a year (this page)
- home aquarium — £92.23 a year
- treadmill — £28.82 a year
- hair dryer — £25.62 a year
- e-bike battery charge — £20.53 a year
- humidifier — £20.17 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Size the pump to the pond rather than over-specifying "to be safe"
- Run larger ornamental features like waterfalls on a timer for part of the day rather than continuously, if fish welfare allows
- Clean the pump filter/impeller regularly — a partially blocked pump draws similar power for reduced flow
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a pond pump for an hour?
- 1.1p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 40W). One typical use — 16 hours a day through the season — costs closer to 17p.
- How much does a pond pump cost to run per year?
- Around £61.48 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 16 hours a day through the season — about £1.18 a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a pond pump in?
- East Midlands, at £59.24 a year, against £65.08 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £5.84 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my pond pump change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 20W–90W, so the top of that range costs about 4.5x the bottom. This page uses 40W; check your own rating plate.
- Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?
- Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.
Sources
- Daftlogic — power consumption of typical household appliances — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
- Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).
Related
- Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
- Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
- Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.
Send us one bill. We'll send back every overcharge — and the cheapest legitimate replacement.
Whether you run a Mayfair restaurant group or rent a flat in Salford, the audit is the same and the fee is the same: nothing, unless we save you money.