Ofwat is the regulator for the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales. Established in 1989, it operates independently of the government, tasked with setting price controls, ensuring high-quality and affordable services for customers, promoting competition, and safeguarding consumer interests. Through monitoring, regulating, and intervening as needed, Ofwat oversees the activities of water companies, aiming to maintain efficient operations, uphold environmental standards, and secure a sustainable and reliable water supply for the region.
Accessing the data
On the Ofwat website, click on the Publications tab. Here, you can filter for Data under ‘Search by document type.’
The following datasets may be of paritcular relevance to users of the Data Exchange:
‘River water quality‘ survey includes questions such as:
- “Thinking about your local area, what do you see as having the most negative impact on the environment?”
- “What do you think your water provider should prioritise?”
- “Which of these do you think have the most negative impact on water quality of rivers in England and Wales?”
- “Thinking about the release of sewage into river or seas, which of the following, if any, best describes your feelings towards this?”
‘Customer Spotlight‘ survey includes questions such as:
- “We must act now to reduce the impact of climate change: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the environment.”
- “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your water company or the services they provide”
- “Now thinking about your water company and where their focus should be over the next 5 years, please rank the following in order of importance to you.”
‘Cost of living‘ survey includes questions such as:
- “How likely or unlikely do you believe it is that you will struggle to pay a utility bill within the next year?”
- “To what extent, if at all, do you trust your water company to do the following”
- “To the best of your knowledge which of the following utilities, if any, offer financial support to those struggling to pay their bills?”
‘Business customer insight‘ survey includes questions such as:
- “Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your current water and waste water retailer(s)?”
- “Overall, and taking everything into account, what is most important to you as a water customer?”
- “Can you tell me approximately how much your organisation pays for your water and waste water services per year, across all premises?”