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August 2024 - Utilities

CCW and Ofwat survey reveals satisfaction rates for water and sewerage services have dropped since 2021: A piece of jointly commissioned research by CCW and Ofwat earlier this year highlighted that only 58% of people are satisfied with the quality of their water services, a 7% decrease since 2021. Furthermore, less than half (49%) of people in England and Wales are satisfied with the quality of the wastewater and drainage services received, another 7% decrease since the last survey in 2021.

CCW and Ofwat commissioned this research earlier in the year to understand and monitor people’s views of water and the water sector across a broad range of measures including understanding satisfaction, trust, and engagement with services. The survey also investigated environmental awareness and behaviours. It was conducted at the end of 2023, two years after “Wave 1” of the survey. Adults from England and Wales were surveyed online by Savanta; 2,095 were based in England and 304 were based in Wales. The 2023/24 survey is known as “Wave 2”.

Perception and Trust

There were some very low results in this category, with only 22% agreeing that the services they receive offer value for money. Additionally, only 3 in 10 agree that the providers offer a good service. Both of these figures have lowered since the Wave 1 survey. Another finding highlighted that 40% of respondents agree that water providers are more interested in profits than providing a good service, up from 33% in 2021.

Trust has declined since 2021; this can be seen in the decrease in the percentage of people who trust their water company to fix a problem quickly (down to 26% from 34%) and in the reduction of people who trust their water company to keep them informed about services that could help them (down to 27% from 31%).

Environmental Issues

Less than a quarter (23%) agree that they trust their water provider to do what’s right for the environment, and only 21% agree that their provider acts in the interests of the environment, both of which are decreases since the Wave 1 survey. On the other hand, 51% of respondents say they are using as little water as they can at home, showing their contribution to the environment. Two in five say they could do more, but they are already trying.

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