TRUST in water companies risks being irreversibly damaged unless consumers witness a sustained improvement in the sector’s care of rivers and the wider environment, according to a new survey.

The warning comes from the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) as it publishes its annual Water Matters survey. It reveals an unprecedented decline in household customers’ satisfaction with water companies across various measures.

Among the most significant falls this year has been customer satisfaction with sewerage services, which slipped to an all-time low of 65 per cent, 14 per cent down from the previous year. This was driven by dissatisfaction with how companies clean and dispose of wastewater.

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Just half of households agreed their company cared about the service it provided, which was also down by 14 per cent. Just 55 per cent of people of households felt what they were being charged for services was fair, falling 9 per cent from 2023 to its lowest-ever level.

Trust in water companies also reached its lowest level (6.37 out of 10) since the survey began. Every water company saw its trust score fall, with energy suppliers overtaking water for the first time as a more trusted utility across England and Wales.

Basingstoke's water provider, South East Water, was scored at 5.49 out of 10 in 2023, down from 6.58 in 2022, a difference of -1.09. The water provider scored an average of 7.12 over the past decade, with a highest rating of 7.87 in 2015.

Companies in the south east of England generally fared worse but the picture elsewhere, particularly on environmental matters remained negative.

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The findings come just weeks before the regulator Ofwat publishes its draft determinations on what water companies in England and Wales can charge customers over the next five years and the investment and services they will be expected to deliver in return.

As the price review nears its conclusion, CCW says companies’ biggest challenge is convincing customers they can be trusted to protect the environment with just a third saying they were satisfied with the industry’s current efforts.

Chief executive of CCW, Dr Mike Keil, said: “These are the worst results we’ve ever seen in our survey and it largely stems from customers’ concerns over companies’ environmental performance. It’s little surprise people are questioning whether they are getting a fair deal.”

“Trust won’t be rebuilt and customers will not tolerate future bill rises unless they see and feel a step change in the service they receive from their water company - whether that’s having the confidence to swim at their local beach or experiencing a more reliable water supply. If customers are going to be asked to pay considerably more, they have a right to expect far more in return.”

For the first time customer satisfaction with water companies declined across every measured area, with the largest falls relating to issues that impact the environment. The starkest decline has been customers’ satisfaction with how companies clean and manage wastewater before its release back into the environment. Just 35% were satisfied with this aspect in the latest survey, compared to 88% a decade ago. 

CCW is already working with the industry on several areas of concern for customers, including improving the compensation payments made to billpayers when companies fail to meet statutory service standards.