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November 2022 - Utilities

Water Mark assessment reveals customer satisfaction levels of water companies in 2022: An annual survey by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has calculated consumer satisfaction levels of water companies in England and Wales for the third year running.

CCW’s Water Mark assessment was introduced in 2020 to measure how well water companies perform in several areas such as value for money, bill affordability, leakage, complaint handling and overall service.

Water companies can be ranked in four categories, which include 'good', 'above average', 'below average' and 'poor'. 

Overall satisfaction

Across the board, water companies performed well in 2021-22 when it came to overall customer satisfaction. Eight water and sewerage companies received the highest grading of 'good' (Anglian Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Northumbrian, Severn Trent, United Utilities, Wessex Water and Yorkshire Water), while South West and Bournemouth Water, Southern Water and Thames Water received a grading of 'above average'.

Looking at water only companies, all the companies assessed received a 'good' overall score (Affinity, Bristol, Cambridge, Essex and Suffolk, Portsmouth, South East, South Staffs, and SES Water).

Satisfaction with value for money

Looking at satisfaction with value for money, all but two water and sewerage companies received a rating of 'good' with just South West and Bournemouth and Southern Water receiving a 'below average' satisfaction rating.

Looking at water only companies, all of the above-mentioned companies received an 'above average' satisfaction rating, with the exception of Affinity Water and South East Water, which received a 'below average' score.

Awareness of additional services

The poorest scoring was found in the 'awareness of additional services' category, with all of the water companies and water and sewerage companies assessed receiving a 'poor' satisfaction rating, the lowest score possible, with the exception of South West and Bournemouth, Bristol and Portsmouth, which received a better, 'below average' score.

Supply interruptions

Looking at supply interruptions of water and sewerage companies, just South West Water and Bournemouth and Wessex had 'above average' scores, compared to below average satisfaction scores for Anglican, Northumbrian, Southern United Utilities and Yorkshire Water, with the remaining companies receiving a 'poor' score.

Supply interruptions were much better overall for water only companies with Affinity, Bristol, Portsmouth South Staffs and SES Water receiving a 'good' score, and Cambridge and Essex and Suffolk receiving an 'above average' score. Just South East Water received a 'poor' score in this area.

Find the report including how scores are calculated here

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