Public trust in water companies has fallen to a record low, with fewer households believing their bills are fair or offer value for money, according to the Consumer Council for Water’s (CCW) latest annual Water Matters survey.
Only 53% of households now consider their water charges fair, marking the third consecutive year of decline and the lowest level since the survey began 14 years ago.
Satisfaction with value for money for water services has also dropped to a new low of 65%, down four percentage points from the previous year.
Overall trust in water companies slipped further to 6.28 out of 10, despite most firms improving their individual scores. Poor performance by suppliers like Thames Water (5.12) and South West Water (5.42) dragged down the sector average.
Wessex Water (7.02) and Northumbrian Water (6.91) received the highest trust ratings, both showing improvement.
The survey was conducted before customers were informed of a sharp £123 rise in the average household water and sewerage bill from April 2025, bringing the annual total to £603.
The increase is part of what the sector describes as a record five-year investment plan to improve services and clean up waterways.
Mike Keil, Chief Executive of CCW, warned: “Water companies have been entrusted with an unprecedented amount of customers’ money, so people need to see and experience a marked difference and are not going to tolerate more broken promises.”
He added that restoring public confidence hinges on “consistently delivering on their commitments” and “communicating really clearly to customers how their money is flowing directly to improve the things they care about, like the health of our rivers.”
The survey did show progress in some areas.
Awareness of financial support schemes rose to its highest level yet, with recognition of social tariffs climbing to 49%.
However, CCW says current support is still insufficient.
The group is calling for a single social tariff across England and Wales to ensure fair and consistent support for all households.
It is also working with the Government to enhance the WaterSure scheme, which helps cap bills for vulnerable metered customers.
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