How is my water company performing?
Customers should have easier access to information about their water company’s performance. That’s why we created Water Mark. This is our assessment of how well water companies are performing in the areas that customers care about the most. Water Mark contains information on customers’ views, complaints and operational performance (pdf)(excel). To demonstrate how well each company has performed, each area has been compared and graded. Find out how we do this here.
If you’re unsure who supplies your water, you can find out by entering your postcode on the Water UK website.
Water only companies
Rank | Company | Overall serviceIndicator info | Value for moneyIndicator info | Bills are fairIndicator info | Bill affordabilityIndicator info | Awareness of additional servicesIndicator info | Written complaintsIndicator info | Complaints handling measureIndicator info | LeakageIndicator info | Supply interruptionsIndicator info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Affinity Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
2 | Bristol Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood | PoorPoorPoorPoor |
3 | Cambridge Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average |
4 | Essex and Suffolk Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | GoodGoodGoodGood |
5 | Hartlepool Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | GoodGoodGoodGood |
6 | Portsmouth Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | GoodGoodGoodGood | GoodGoodGoodGood |
7 | South East Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor |
8 | South Staffs Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood |
9 | SES Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average |
Water and Sewerage companies
Rank | Company | Overall serviceIndicator info | Value for money | Bills are fairIndicator info | Bill affordabilityIndicator info | Awareness of additional servicesIndicator info | Written complaints | Complaints handling measureIndicator info | LeakageIndicator info | Internal sewer floodingIndicator info | External sewer floodingIndicator info | Supply interruptionsIndicator info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anglian Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
2 | Dwr Cymru Welsh Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average |
3 | Hafren Dyfrdwy | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | PoorPoorPoorPoor |
4 | Northumbrian Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
5 | Severn Trent Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average |
6 | South West and Bournemouth Water | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
7 | Southern Water | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor |
8 | Thames Water | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood | PoorPoorPoorPoor |
9 | United Utilities | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | GoodGoodGoodGood | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
10 | Wessex Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | GoodGoodGoodGood | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average |
11 | Yorkshire Water | GoodGoodGoodGood | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | PoorPoorPoorPoor | PoorPoorPoorPoor | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average | Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average |
Download the full Water Mark table (pdf)
Overall service
Customers have told us that they are generally pleased with the overall service provided by their water and sewerage companies. In the last year, we’ve seen increases in customer satisfaction with value for money and bill fairness, which is promising progress, but we’d like to see continued efforts across the industry in this area. We have previously published top tips including some quick wins that companies can adopt to help drive increases in value for money and fairness.
Affordability of bills
We have also seen a positive increase in the number of customers that are telling us that their bills are affordable. But we know that there are still many that struggle to pay their water bills and individual circumstances can change quickly. That is why in May, we published our findings from our independent review of water affordability, which sets out a number of recommendations that will help to eradicate water poverty.
We have been delighted with the positive feedback that this has received, and steps are already in place to put these recommendations into practice. One thing that we are particularly keen to see is comprehensive support available to financially vulnerable households wherever they live, through the introduction of a single social tariff scheme across England and Wales.
We would also like to see companies contribute more of their own money to the funding of financial support, building on the good practice demonstrated by United Utilities, Yorkshire Water and Dŵr Cymru in assisting those struggling to pay by using their own company profits to help fund social tariffs.
Engaging with customers
The area where water companies have the most work to do is improving how they engage with customers to make sure they know that additional help is available when and if they need it.
We’ve seen companies making strides in this area over the last few years, but we’d like to see even more engagement around the additional help that companies offer. We know that there are certain communities who find it more difficult to access information about financial support. This includes people in minority ethnic groups, those with language barriers, the digitally excluded, disabled people and those with lower-level literacy skills.
This is why we have launched our ‘Your Water, Your Way’ campaign, designed to help get the message across to those most vulnerable in society. Through our campaign we aim to:
- Raise public awareness of priority services and financial support
- Ensure satisfactory communication for everyone during incidents
- Empower people to know and use their rights.
Find out more about the work we are doing with companies through this campaign
Resolving customer complaints
We assess how well water companies have responded to their customers’ complaints in our annual Complaints Report. Throughout the year, we work closely with all water companies and retailers to help improve the customer complaints journey, and through this we have been sharing best practice with companies to help them reduce the number of customers who feel the need to complain. We have already started to see improvement and evidence that this collaborative work has led to positive results, and we are looking forward to seeing more improvements as the year progresses.
Getting services right
Finally, Water Mark considers how well companies are performing on areas of operational performance; in other words, how good they are at keeping our taps running and taking away our waste water.
If anything goes wrong in these areas, the impact on people’s lives and homes can be severe. Our assessment is a comparative one – it looks at how well companies perform when compared to each other. In many of these areas, companies have set their own targets and while they may have met these targets, they still might not be performing as well as the industry leaders.
You can find more information about how companies have performed against their targets in individual company performance reports published on company websites.
Performance reports
Company Performance Report
Our reports on company performance and insights gained from the information we collect.
Find out more about Company Performance ReportConsumer Service Assessments
Consumer Service Assessments help press companies to improve their service and reduce complaints they receive from consumers.
Find out more about Consumer Service AssessmentsWater Industry Complaints Report
We publish annualreports about written complaint handling in the water industry across England and Wales.
Find out more about Water Industry Complaints Report
Performance Scorecards
Regulators in telecoms, water, energy and banking have partnered to develope performance scorecards to show how each industry is performing on the level of service in key areas.
Find out more about Performance Scorecards
Discover Water
For more information and to find out how water companies in England & Wales are performing, visit Discover Water.
Find out more about Discover Water