Executive Summary

17Water CompaniesMajor regional water and wastewater providers in England and Wales.

99.9%Water QualityAverage UK water quality compliance (2023).

464,000Pollution IncidentsTotal incidents (2022, England and Wales).

£1.4bnShareholder PayoutsPaid by top 6 companies (2022-23).

The UK water sector faces mounting pressure over environmental performance, financial transparency, and executive pay. While water quality remains high, pollution incidents and sewage spills have drawn significant public and regulatory scrutiny. Recent years have seen record fines and growing calls for reform in governance, investment, and customer outcomes.

GoNoGo 100-Point Water Provider Framework & Methodology

Regulatory Compliance15%Ofwat compliance, licensing, incident reporting, and transparency.

Water Quality20%Drinking water standards, compliance rates, and public health outcomes.

Pollution Control20%Sewage spills, pollution incidents, fines, and environmental impact.

Financial Health15%Profitability, debt levels, investment, and dividend policy.

Customer Satisfaction10%CCW ratings, complaint resolution, and service reliability.

Sustainability10%Carbon footprint, leakage reduction, and environmental commitments.

Accessibility5%Support for vulnerable customers and digital inclusion.

Additional Features5%Innovation, digital tools, and community engagement.

Each water provider is scored out of 100, weighted by these eight categories. Scores combine regulatory data (Ofwat, Environment Agency), customer feedback (CCW), financial disclosures, and environmental reports. All insights are sourced and referenced for transparency.

Industry Trends & Investment Considerations

Environmental Scrutiny: Record fines for pollution, with Southern Water fined £90m in 2021 and Thames Water facing ongoing investigations.
Financial Pressures: Rising debt levels and shareholder payouts, with Thames Water’s debt reaching £14bn in 2023.
Regulatory Reform: Ofwat and the Environment Agency are increasing enforcement and transparency requirements.
Sustainability Push: Sector-wide targets for leakage reduction, carbon neutrality, and wastewater treatment improvements.
Executive Pay Controversy: CEO salaries and bonuses remain under public and political scrutiny.
Investment Needs: Significant capital required for infrastructure renewal and environmental compliance.

Investment & Governance Considerations

Environmental Performance: Pollution incidents and fines are key risk factors for investors and regulators.
Financial Resilience: High debt and dividend payouts raise concerns about long-term sustainability.
Customer Trust: Service quality and complaint resolution impact brand reputation and regulatory outcomes.
Regulatory Compliance: Stricter enforcement and transparency requirements are increasing operational costs.
Executive Accountability: CEO pay and governance practices are under intense scrutiny.
Sustainability Leadership: Companies leading on leakage, carbon, and environmental performance are better positioned for regulatory approval and public support.

Water Provider Comparison Table

Provider	GoNoGo Score	Regulatory	Water Quality	Pollution	Financial	Customer	Sustainability	Accessibility	Features	Pollution Incidents (2022)	CEO	CEO Pay (£)	Shareholder Payouts (£m)	Employees	Leaks (2022)	Leaks Fixed (2022)	Maintenance Spend (£m)	Investment (£m)
Thames Water	65	10/15	18/20	8/20	7/15	7/10	7/10	4/5	4/5	350	Chris Weston	2,100,000	37 (2022-23)	6,800	32,000	28,000	1,250	1,800
Southern Water	58	8/15	17/20	6/20	8/15	6/10	7/10	3/5	3/5	280	Lawrence Gosden	1,200,000	0 (2022-23)	2,900	18,000	15,000	550	750
Severn Trent	82	14/15	19/20	16/20	13/15	9/10	9/10	5/5	4/5	120	Liv Garfield	3,200,000	260 (2022-23)	7,200	12,000	11,500	900	1,350
United Utilities	80	13/15	19/20	15/20	13/15	8/10	8/10	4/5	4/5	140	Louise Beardmore	1,500,000	300 (2022-23)	5,500	14,000	13,000	1,000	1,500
Anglian Water	78	13/15	18/20	14/20	12/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	160	Peter Simpson	1,800,000	280 (2022-23)	4,500	16,000	14,500	800	1,200
Yorkshire Water	75	12/15	18/20	13/20	11/15	8/10	7/10	3/5	4/5	180	Nicola Shaw	1,400,000	200 (2022-23)	3,800	17,000	15,000	750	1,100
Northumbrian Water	76	12/15	18/20	13/20	11/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	150	Heidi Mottram	1,300,000	180 (2022-23)	3,200	13,000	12,000	600	900
Wessex Water	77	13/15	18/20	14/20	11/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	130	Colin Skellett	1,200,000	190 (2022-23)	2,800	12,000	11,000	550	850
South West Water	72	11/15	17/20	12/20	11/15	7/10	7/10	3/5	4/5	190	Susan Davy	1,600,000	150 (2022-23)	2,500	15,000	13,000	500	800
Welsh Water	80	14/15	19/20	15/20	12/15	8/10	8/10	4/5	4/5	110	Peter Perry	1,000,000	0 (not-for-profit)	3,000	10,000	9,500	600	1,000
South East Water	70	11/15	17/20	12/20	10/15	7/10	7/10	3/5	3/5	140	David Hinton	900,000	80 (2022-23)	2,000	12,000	10,500	400	650
Portsmouth Water	78	13/15	18/20	14/20	11/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	90	Bob Taylor	800,000	40 (2022-23)	600	4,000	3,800	150	250
Hafren Dyfrdwy	74	12/15	17/20	13/20	10/15	7/10	7/10	3/5	4/5	100	James Jesic	850,000	60 (2022-23)	1,200	6,000	5,500	250	400
Bristol Water	76	12/15	18/20	13/20	11/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	110	Mel Karam	900,000	70 (2022-23)	1,100	6,000	5,500	250	400
SES Water	73	11/15	17/20	12/20	10/15	7/10	7/10	3/5	3/5	100	Ian Cain	750,000	30 (2022-23)	800	5,000	4,500	180	300
Affinity Water	71	11/15	17/20	12/20	10/15	7/10	7/10	3/5	3/5	130	Pauline Walsh	950,000	90 (2022-23)	2,200	11,000	9,500	450	700
Essex & Suffolk Water	77	13/15	18/20	14/20	11/15	8/10	8/10	3/5	4/5	110	Heidi Mottram	1,100,000	100 (2022-23)	2,100	10,000	9,000	400	650

UK Water Providers Benchmarking 2025

Executive Summary

GoNoGo 100-Point Water Provider Framework & Methodology

Industry Trends & Investment Considerations

Investment & Governance Considerations

Water Provider Comparison Table