Pond Pump Running Cost Calculator
Find out what your pond pump costs to run per day, month and year, based on its wattage, how long it runs and your electricity rate.
Calculate Pump Running Cost
Enter your pump’s wattage, how many hours a day it runs and what you pay per kWh. The calculator works out your energy use and electricity cost, and can compare it with a more efficient pump.
Pond Pump Cost Calculator
See your pump’s electricity cost over any period.
How Pump Running Costs Work
The simple maths behind your electricity bill
Convert Watts to kW
Divide the pump’s wattage by 1,000. A 50W pump draws 0.05 kW while it is running.
Multiply by Hours
kW × hours per day gives energy in kWh. Running 0.05 kW for 24 hours uses 1.2 kWh a day.
Apply Your Rate
Multiply kWh by your unit rate. At 26p per kWh, 1.2 kWh costs about 31p a day, or around £114 a year.
Look for Savings
Pumps run constantly, so a small drop in wattage adds up. Efficient and variable-speed pumps can cut costs by half or more.
Pump Wattage & Annual Cost
Typical pond pump sizes and what they cost to run continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at 26p per kWh.
| Pump Power | Typical Pond | Energy per Year | Cost per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20W | Small pond, up to about 1,000 litres | 175 kWh | £45.55 |
| 35W | Small to medium, up to about 2,000 litres | 307 kWh | £79.72 |
| 50W | Medium garden pond, about 3,000 litres | 438 kWh | £113.88 |
| 80W | Medium to large, about 5,000 litres | 701 kWh | £182.21 |
| 100W | Large pond with filter and waterfall | 876 kWh | £227.76 |
| 150W | Large koi pond, about 10,000 litres | 1,314 kWh | £341.64 |
| 250W | Very large koi or fish pond | 2,190 kWh | £569.40 |
Figures are illustrative. Pond sizes are approximate and the right pump also depends on head height, pipework and filtration.
Pond Pump Cost FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the electricity cost of running a pond pump.
Divide the pump’s wattage by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by the hours it runs per day to get kWh per day, then multiply by your electricity rate per kWh. For example, a 50W pump running 24 hours a day uses 1.2 kWh per day, which costs about 31p at 26p per kWh.
It depends on the wattage. At 26p per kWh, a 35W pump costs roughly £80 a year, a 100W pump roughly £228 a year, and a 250W pump roughly £569 a year when run continuously.
For a pond with fish, most keepers run the pump and filter continuously, because the water needs constant circulation and oxygen and the filter bacteria need a steady flow. Wildlife ponds and plant-only ponds can often run on a timer for 8 to 12 hours a day.
Choose an energy-efficient or variable-speed pump sized to your pond, avoid oversizing, keep pre-filters and impellers clean so the pump isn’t working harder than it needs to, use wide-bore pipework to reduce resistance, and lower the flow in winter when fish are less active.
The wattage is printed on the pump’s rating label, in the manual, or on the manufacturer’s product page. If only amps and volts are listed, multiply them together to get watts. Note that the wattage shown is often the maximum, so real consumption can be slightly lower at reduced flow.