Households in England and Wales have lodged a record number of complaints against water suppliers, marking an 84% increase year-on-year. According to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), this surge is the highest in its two-decade history and underscores deep-seated dissatisfaction within the sector. In total, 15,115 complaints were escalated to the watchdog during the 2025-26 period, compared to 8,235 the previous year.
Before reaching the CCW, customers must first contact their water company directly. These initial complaints also saw a significant rise, jumping by 56% to reach a total of 321,347. The primary drivers behind this wave of customer grievances involve affordability issues, confusion over billing, and frustrations with administrative procedures.
The regulator, Ofwat, has previously authorized water firms to implement bill increases of 36% between 2025 and 2030. Furthermore, just last month, the regulator approved additional increases for 13 companies, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, Southern Water, Wessex Water, and South East Water—firms that were already permitted to raise rates in 2024.
Mike Keil, chief executive of the CCW, stated that the figures reflect how unhappy the public remains with the current state of the water industry. He noted that while customers are facing higher costs, they are impatient to see the promised benefits of these investments. Keil urged companies to be transparent about how they are utilizing customer funds to deliver real improvements.
In response to the data, industry representative Water UK acknowledged that bill hikes are never welcome. However, a spokesperson emphasized that these funds are essential to finance vital upgrades, ensure supply security, drive economic growth, and address the issue of sewage entering rivers and seas. The body added that 94% of complaints are resolved early without requiring further intervention.
Performance rankings varied significantly across the sector. Portsmouth Water and Bristol Water maintained their status as the industry’s top performers, scoring as “good” in both household complaint volume and the level of effort required for resolution. Conversely, Thames Water and South West Water were rated as “poor” across both metrics.
Thames Water’s retail director, David Bird, apologized to those affected by subpar service. He specifically identified billing clarity as a major pain point and announced a new program to simplify statements for consumers. While average bills for Thames customers rose by 31% in 2024, the increase moderated to 3.4% this year.
South West Water also issued a statement recognizing the need for improvement. The firm highlighted ongoing efforts to reduce repeat customer contacts, resolve issues during initial inquiries, and provide clearer, more timely communication to its users. The report also notes that the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) said the year-on-year increase was the highest in its 20-year history and showed “just how dissatisfied” many people were. The report also notes that the CCW assessed each water company’s performance on the number of complaints it received for every 10,000 households it serves, and the amount of effort customers have to put in to get their complaint resolved. The report also notes that which is why we have launched a programme to redesign them, so they are easier to understand,” he said, we know bill clarity has been a particular source of frustration. The report also notes that last month, Ofwat approved bill increases for 13 companies to meet increased pressures on infrastructure and the environment.
