Service and delivery – performance of the
water companies in England and Wales 2007- 08
Headline issues
Company performance
- In general, the companies delivered high levels of reliability and service to most consumers. But, they need to guard against complacency in light of last summer's widespread floods.
- Most companies are on target to deliver the security of supply that we assumed in our final determinations at the 2004 price review.
- All companies met their leakage targets, although this was against the backdrop of a mild winter.
- Fewer consumers now face the risk of sewer flooding or are at risk of low pressure than in previous years.
- A number of companies have improved the way they maintain their assets and longer-term indicators of serviceability.
- Compliance with statutory requirements for sewage treatment is the best it has been for ten years.
- Companies that had performed badly in responding to consumer contacts in previous years have now resolved these issues. This is in large part by following action plans agreed by us.
- Aggregate gross capital investment was £4.9 billion. This is 4% higher than we assumed at the 2004 price review.
- Overall investment is still some 9% behind our expectations for the first three years of the current price limit period (2005-10).
- However, the companies have caught up on capital maintenance. This is 5% above the level we expected by now.
- The companies have also made improvements to the way they manage the water and sewerage network.
Regulatory action
- We took enforcement action against Southern, United Utilities, Severn Trent and Thames in 2007-08.
- We also carried out an investigation into Three Valley's customer service data after it reported to us that it had found evidence of deliberate misreporting of data.
- We are concerned about United Utilities' processes for dealing with sewer flooding information.
- More properties were flooded by sewage for customers of Severn Trent and Northumbrian than we forecast at the 2004 price review.
- We raised concerns with Severn Trent where there were signs of deteriorating service.
Service and delivery – performance of the water companies in England and Wales 2007- 08 (PDF - 889Kb)
Supporting information (PDF - 574Kb)
1.The guaranteed standards scheme
2.Levels of service indicators
3.Consumer issues
4.Drinking water quality
5.Security of supply
6.Serviceability indicators and trends
7.Information quality
Annual quality assurance of Ofwat's initial serviceability assessments 2007 - 08 general feedback report (PDF - 216Kb)
