At our core, we are a customer-focused organisation, driven by a passion for providing a safe and reliable water service
The 2020-25 period brought unprecedented challenges, beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduced significant operational difficulties. These challenges continued, with 2022-23 being particularly difficult due to extreme weather events. These events led to substantial ground movement, major network failures, and numerous smaller leaks, all of which impacted our service and, consequently, our customers’ experiences.
Despite these setbacks, our service commitment plan has delivered tangible improvements. We’ve moved from lagging in Ofwat’s 2022-23 ranking to achieving an average ranking in 2023-24. We’re optimistic about maintaining this average ranking for 2024-25, as we forecast to meet the same number of common Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODIs) as last year.
We’ve developed a set of actions to enhance our performance across five key commitments:
- Customer Satisfaction (C-Mex)
- Mains repairs
- Per Capita Consumption
- Leakage
- Supply interruptions
In addition to these efforts, we’ve outperformed industry averages in CRI (water quality) and maintained acceptable limits for the past four years. While we faced setbacks in meeting our leakage targets last year, missing the Final Determination (FD) target, it’s important to note that we successfully met this target for the preceding fifteen years. We are actively working to improve our leakage performance as we enter the next Asset Management Period (AMP).
Our focus on network maintenance is also showing results. While the industry median for mains repairs increased by 11 per cent annually over the past three years, we observed a seven per cent average annual increase, indicating a more stable network. From 2020-2021 to 2024-2025, we have achieved a 26 per cent reduction in mains repairs, with three out of five years exceeding our targets.
Our C-Mex forecast in the service commitment plan was 15th, and we finished the year at 12th. This is the best ranking we have achieved in this five year period.
To ensure accountability, Ofwat requires quarterly updates on our progress in addressing the actions detailed in this report. Our Board and Executive will rigorously evaluate these reports and promptly rectify any deviations from our set goals.
It is important to note that during the development of this plan, Ofwat initiated an enforcement case regarding our supply interruption performance, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) issued a draft undertaking. Our subsequent program may be subject to change as we continue discussions with both parties.
Looking ahead to 2025 to 2030, we remain committed to advocating for increased investment in our network infrastructure. This is crucial for strengthening our resilience against extreme weather events and ensuring a reliable service for years to come.
To read our full Service Commitment Plan click here.