How is my water company performing?

We have assessed how well water companies are delivering in a number of areas that matter the most to customers. We have used previously published information on customer views, complaint numbers and operational performance to show companies’ overall performance for 2018-19 in an easy to use table.

Every area of performance has been assessed and graded (pdf) and then companies have been given an overall ranking (pdf) to show their performance.

If you’re unsure who supplies your water, you can find out by entering your postcode on the Water UK website and see how they are performing below. You can also scroll across to see more.

Good

Above average

Below average

Poor

Water only companies

Rank	Company	Water service	Value for money - Water	Long-term water supply	Bills are fair	Affordability	Likely to recommend	Awareness of additional services	Trust	Complaints	Unwanted contacts	Leakage	Supply interruptions
1	Bournemouth	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood
2	Hartlepool	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood
3	Portsmouth	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood
4	Cambridge	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	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	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average
5	South Staffs	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	PoorPoorPoorPoor	GoodGoodGoodGood
6	Bristol	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	PoorPoorPoorPoor
7	South East	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average
8	Essex and Suffolk	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average
9	SES Water	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	PoorPoorPoorPoor	GoodGoodGoodGood	PoorPoorPoorPoor
10	Affinity	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average

Customers were asked ‘taking all aspects of your water supply service into account, overall how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your water supply? ’ (0-5 scale) - Percentage who scored their provider with a 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘taking all aspects of your sewerage supply service into account, overall how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your sewerage supply?’ (0-5 scale) - Percentage who scored their provider with a 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘thinking now about value for money, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the value for money of the water services in your area?’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘Thinking now about value for money, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the value for money of the sewerage services in your area?’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘how confident are you that in the longer term your water supply will be available without restriction, that is, not subject to hosepipe bans or other restrictions on use?’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘How much do you agree or disagree that the charges that you pay are fair?’ ’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘How much do you agree or disagree that the charges that you pay for are affordable to you?’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked how likely they would be to recommend their water company? (0-10 scale) - % who scored their provider with 9 /10 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘Are you aware of any additional free services (also known as priority services) offered by your water company, such as large print or braille bills for people who need them, passwords to check that company callers are genuine, or liaison with customers on dialysis who need a constant supply of water?’ Those that answered ‘yes’ are shown.

Customers were asked How much do you trust your company?’ (0-10 scale). The mean scores are shown.

The number of written complaints, per 10,000 connections.

The number of phone contacts received from consumers that are ‘unwanted’ from the consumer’s point of view, per 10,000 connections.

The amount of water leaked from each company’s pipes compared to the number of properties the company supplies.

The number of properties flooded with sewage per 10,000 connections to sewers.

The number of areas of private land or gardens flooded with sewage per 10,000 connections to sewers.

The number of hours lost due to water supply interruptions for three hours or longer per property served.

Water and Sewerage companies

Rank	Company	Water service	Sewerage service	Value for money - Water	Value for money - Sewerage	Long-term water supply	Bills are fair	Affordability	Likely to recommend	Awareness of additional services	Trust	Complaints	Unwanted contacts	Leakage	Internal sewer flooding	External sewer flooding	Supply interruptions
1	Northumbrian	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average
2	Wessex	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	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	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood
3	Dwr Cymru	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor
4	Yorkshire	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	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	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average
5	Anglian	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average
6	Severn Trent	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor
7	Hafren Dyfrdwy	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor
8	United Utilities	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average
9	South West	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average
10	Southern	GoodGoodGoodGood	GoodGoodGoodGood	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average
11	Thames	GoodGoodGoodGood	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	Below averageBelow averageBelow averageBelow average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	Above averageAbove averageAbove averageAbove average	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	PoorPoorPoorPoor	GoodGoodGoodGood	PoorPoorPoorPoor

Customers were asked ‘How much do you agree or disagree that the charges that you pay are fair?’ ’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked ‘How much do you agree or disagree that the charges that you pay for are affordable to you?’ (0-5 scale) - % who scored their provider with 4 or 5 rating shown

Customers were asked how likely they would be to recommend their water company? (0-10 scale) - % who scored their provider with 9 /10 rating shown

Customers were asked How much do you trust your company?’ (0-10 scale). The mean scores are shown.

The number of written complaints, per 10,000 connections.

The number of phone contacts received from consumers that are ‘unwanted’ from the consumer’s point of view, per 10,000 connections.

The amount of water leaked from each company’s pipes compared to the number of properties the company supplies.

The number of properties flooded with sewage per 10,000 connections to sewers.

The number of areas of private land or gardens flooded with sewage per 10,000 connections to sewers.

The number of hours lost due to water supply interruptions for three hours or longer per property served.

Download the full Water Mark table (pdf)

In 2018-19, companies generally did well in the overall satisfaction with the water and sewerage service that they provided.

There is still work for the industry as a whole to do to improve customers’ views on the fairness of bills, their likelihood to recommend their supplier and awareness of additional support services. Customers’ confidence in the long-term security of their water supply also shows room for improvement, particularly as those levels of confidence fell slightly, which we examine in more detail in our Water Matters Highlights report (pdf). Additionally, customers would benefit from companies looking to improve customer perceptions of value for money and trust. Many of these perceptions are linked, so if a company can improve one, customers’ perceptions in all areas may increase

We have been driving change in the sector through the insights that we have published through the following reports:

Companies’ performance in relation to complaints and the number of service disruptions that customers face is a mixed picture – those at the bottom of the table should look to learn from those at the top. Our reports on complaints and operational performance both outline good practice, so does our focused report on billing and charges complaints

Performance reports

Complaints handled by us

We report annually on the number of water company complaints we have handled over the year.

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Company Performance Report

Our reports on company performance and insights gained from the information we collect.

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Consumer Service Assessments

Consumer Service Assessments help press companies to improve their service and reduce complaints they receive from consumers.

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Satisfaction by Company

We compare customers views about the services they receive from their local water companies, and the value for money of services.

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Water Industry Complaints Report

We publish annualreports about written complaint handling in the water industry across England and Wales.

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Retail Market Performance

We also publish information to show how the retail market is performing for business customers.

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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.

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Discover Water

For more information and to find out how water companies in England & Wales are performing, visit Discover Water.

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Consumer Council For Water

The voice for water consumers, here to help you.

How is my water company performing?

Water only companies

Water and Sewerage companies

Performance reports

Complaints handled by us

Company Performance Report

Consumer Service Assessments

Satisfaction by Company

Water Industry Complaints Report

Retail Market Performance

Performance Scorecards

Discover Water