Facilities for boaters on canals and rivers
What facilities can boaters expect to find by the canals?
British Waterways provide a range of basic services for boaters, including water points, refuse disposal, toilets and Elsan emptying points throughout the waterway network. These are generally free to licence holders.Find your nearest service point using our Quick Search in the top right hand corner, or click through using the left hand links from the appropriate waterway page.
Sanitary facilities
Access to sanitary facilities is by a special Yale key, available from the Customer Service Centre for £5.00 including p&p. Where showers, laundry facilities or electric charging points are available, payment is by digital card available from the local office.
The Customer Service Centre can be contacted by telephone (01923 201120) or email (enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk). Alternatively, you can purchase BW keys and pump out cards from the Waterscape.com online shop.
Find details of your local BW office on the relevant waterway page, using the left hand links.
Advice and waterway information
Our Customer Services Centre is able to advise on most matters relating to the waterways. If your enquiry is of a local nature you may prefer to contact or visit one of our local offices for more detailed information about a particular area or service. These offices also provide information on where anti-vandal keys may be needed, along with essential information such as tide times and opening hours of manned locks etc.
First time boaters
Are you puzzled by terms such as pump out and elsan? Learn the boating lingo with the Waterscape.com dictionary of boating terms.
contact us
print page