Find out who looks after water supply problems in your area, and exactly what you are paying your water bills for.
The UK’s water industry is responsible for delivering billions of safe drinking water to households on a daily basis. In England and Wales this water is supplied through different regional water companies that were privatised in 1989 (it’s different in Scotland and Northern Ireland – see below). Over 50 million people rely on these companies for good-quality water, sanitation and drainage services.
Read on for a full list of water suppliers and the areas the cover. And for ways to save, see how to get help with your water bill.
What exactly do water suppliers do?
Water suppliers are the companies that provide water-only or water and sewerage services for general domestic use in UK homes.
A water-only supplier will only supply you with clean drinking water. For water and sewerage firms, you will be billed for both clean drinking water and wastewater management.
Your water supplier must provide you with a continuous supply of safe drinking water at an adequate pressure for daily use. Your water pressure should be enough to fill a one-gallon container (4.5 litres) in 30 seconds.
Each water supplier is tested regularly to make sure that it is safe to drink. These tests include bacteria, chemicals such as pesticides, metals like lead, and how the water looks and tastes.
All water companies in England and Wales are regulated by Ofwat. Your water quality is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) for England and Wales.
Unlike gas and electricity (see how to do an energy comparison), you can’t choose your water supplier. Water suppliers are responsible for all customers who come under their geographical location.
Currently, there are 11 major regional water and wastewater companies and six water-only companies in England and Wales, alongside several smaller localised firms.
Who is my water supplier?
The map below shows which water companies supply different areas of England and Wales.
Key
- Water services provided under the Hartlepool Water name.
- Water services provided under the Cambridge Water name.
- Water services provided under the Essex & Suffolk Water name.
- Water services provided under the Bournemouth Water name.
- Water services provided under the Bristol Water name.
- Hafren Dyfrdwy provides water services only in this area.
- Severn Trent Water provides water services only in this area.
To get a more detailed understanding of the water companies in England and Wales, have a look at the table below:
| Water supplier | Areas they cover | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity Water (formerly Three Valleys, Tendring Hundred, Folkestone & Dover, Veolia Central, Veolia East, Veolia Southeast) | Northwest London and the Home Counties, including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, the London Boroughs of Harrow and Hillingdon and parts of the London Boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing and Enfield. They also supply water to the Tendring peninsula in Essex and the Folkestone and Dover areas of Kent | Address: Tamblin Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9EZ. Phone: 01707268111 |
| Anglian Water | East of England and Hartlepool | Address: Lancaster House, Lancaster Way, Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon, PE29 6YJ. Phone: 01480323000 |
| Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) | Most of Wales, Herefordshire and parts of Deeside | Address: Pentwyn Road, Nelson, Treharris, Mid Glamorgan, CF46 6LY. Phone: 01443452300 |
| Hafren Dyfrdwy (earlier Dee Valley Water) | County of Monmouthshire, reaching mid Wales and stretching up to Wrexham in North Wales | Address: Packsaddle, Wrexham Road, Rhostyllen, Wrexham, Clwyd, North Wales, LL14 4EH. Phone: 03306780679 |
| Northumbrian Water (including Essex and Suffolk) | North east of England and South east of England | Address: Abbey Road, Pity Me, Durham, DH1 5FJ. Phone: 08706084820 |
| Portsmouth Water | South East Hampshire and West Sussex from the River Meon in the West to the river Arun in the East | Address: PO Box 8, West Street, Havant, Hants, PO9 1LG. Phone: 02392499888 |
| Severn Trent Water | Bristol Channel to the Humber, and from mid-Wales to the East Midlands | Address: Severn Trent Water, Severn Trent Centre, 2 St Johns Street, Coventry, CV1 2LZ. Phone: 02477715000 |
| South Staffordshire Water | Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley, Tamworth, Uttoxeter, Burton, Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield and Cannock | Address: Green Lane, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 7PD. Phone: 01922638282 Cambridge region: 90 Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, CB1 9JN. Phone: 01223706050 |
| South East Water | Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent | Address: Rocfort Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5AH. Phone: 03330000001 |
| South West Water | Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset | Address: Peninsula House, Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7HR. Phone: 01392446688 |
| Southern Water | Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Southampton, West Sussex. | Address: Southern House, Yeoman Road, Worthing, Sussex, BN13 3NX. Phone: 01903264444 |
| SES Water | Parts of Surrey, Kent and south London | Address: London Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1LJ. Phone: 01737772000 |
| Thames Water | From Gloucestershire, across London and into Kent | Address: Clearwater Court, Vastern Road, Reading, RG1 8DB. Phone: 08009808800 |
| United Utilities Water | North West of England | Address: Haweswater House, Lingley Mere Business Park, Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP. Phone: See website for phone numbers. |
| Wessex Water | Most of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire | Address: Claverton Down Road, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7WW. Phone: 01225526000 |
| Yorkshire Water | West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and part of Derbyshire | Address: Western House, Western Way, Bradford, BD6 2LZ. Phone: 01274691111 |
Can't find your water supplier?
Other than these major ones, there are also a number of local water companies who provide water and sewerage services. You can find your local water company through Ofwat’s contact directory.
If you live on the border of two water areas, you should contact possible water suppliers directly to find out who you come under.
If your water bills are paid to your landlord instead of your local water company, then that means you are a water resale customer.
Living in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
If you live in Scotland, your water supplier will be a publicly-owned water company, Scottish Water. In Northern Ireland, water and sewerage are both provided by government-owned Northern Ireland Water.
What exactly am I paying for?
You are charged a yearly water rate by water suppliers that is regulated by Ofwat. This covers the cost of supplying you with water and sewerage services and is regulated every five years.
Your water rates also include maintenance costs such as renewing water pipes and treatment plants. These are essential services undertaken to maintain and improve the quality of water that you receive at home.
Note that water suppliers charge different rates which can depend on several factors. These include your location, if you are charged for sewerage, and the size of your property. You can find out roughly how much you pay for water here.
But these rates could soon change. In September, the Industry and Regulators Committee raised concerns about under-investment in water infrastructure across the UK.
The committee warned the UK Government that people could face high bills, water shortages, poor quality and leaky pipes. This means your daily activities like taking a shower, cooking or cleaning could also be affected.
If you’re worried about how you will pay your water bill, read our guide on how to slash costs. Check if you qualify for a water bill discount if you have certain medical conditions or disabilities.
