Protecting consumers, promoting value and safeguarding the future
Abstract image of water

Benefits for consumers

Some of the benefits of regulation since privatisation include:

  • Bills are more than a third lower than they would have been without Ofwat.
  • Leakage is down by 35% since its peak in the mid 1990s.
  • Compliance with environmental standards is higher.
  • Water quality has improved.
  • By 2010, £80 billion will have been invested by the companies in maintaining and improving assets and services.

Customer service is significantly better than 17 years ago. For example, only 4,825 properties (0.02%) are now at risk of low water pressure, compared with 344,259 (1.6%) properties in 1990-91.

Page options

  • Return to top
  • Text only