Who regulates us?
Like all water companies in the UK, we're regulated by several government bodies.
The regulators monitor and compare how we perform each year.
We work closely with all our regulators, sharing our progress and our plans, to make sure we meet strict UK and European legislation.
Here's some information about each of our regulators.
Ofwat
Ofwat is the economic regulator of the water sector, whose role is to protect the interests of consumers. This includes agreeing the prices water companies can charge. Ofwat also scrutinises the services provided to customers to ensure that companies meet the conditions of their licences.
Defra
Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) deals with allpolicy relating to the water industry. We operate under a licence granted by the Secretary of State. Defra also approves water companies’ 25 year Water Resources Management Plans, which set out how we will manage water resources over the long term.
DWI
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is the independent organisation that ensures the legal standards for drinking water quality are met.
The DWI also oversees the quality of tap water, making sure water is safe to drink when it reaches your home.
Natural England
Natural England is responsible for the protection of designated sites for nature conservation, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide.
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england(opens in a new tab)
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency regulates how much water we can abstract from the environment.
The Environment Agency protects and improves the quality of rivers, estuaries and coastal waters, and is also responsible for pollution control, flood defence and fisheries.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency(opens in a new tab)
Consumer Council for Water(opens in a new tab) (CCW) is not a regulator, but rather an independent consumer body that represents water consumers in England and Wales.