554:
156:
877:
889:
35:
253:. The resulting companies are known as "water and sewerage companies"; this distinguishes them from around a dozen smaller companies which only provide water services, which were already in private hands in 1989 (having remained in private ownership since their creation in the 19th century). The water-only companies provide water to around 25% of the population in England and Wales.
286:
Every five years, Ofwat set limits on the prices which water companies in
England and Wales can charge to their customers; this process is known as a price review or periodic review. Ofwat has carried out six price reviews so far – in 1994 (PR94), 1999 (PR99), 2004 (PR04), 2009 (PR09), 2014 (PR14)
278:, who took up his position in July 2022, replacing Johnson Cox who had held the position since November 2012. Initially taking over from Rachel Fletcher as interim chief executive in April 2021, the current chief executive is David Black who was fully appointed to the role in April 2022.
256:
Before 1 April 2006, all regulatory powers rested with the
Director General of Water Services. The staff who supported the role of the Director General were collectively known as the "Office of Water Services", which was abbreviated to "Ofwat".
265:
was
Director General until 2006 and chairman until 2012. On 1 April 2006, the Director General was replaced by the Water Services Regulation Authority. The name "Office of Water Services" is no longer used, as it had no legal basis.
287:
and 2019 (PR19). The most recent, PR19, set price limits for 2020–2025. Ofwat sets a so-called "K factor" in companies' licences which determine the average value of price rises above the rate of inflation (
216:
for regulating drinking water quality. Water in
Northern Ireland is regulated by the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, and the supply and treatment is carried out by the government-owned
1246:
613:
195:
works) and expected operational efficiency gains. The most recent review was carried out in 2019; reviews are carried out every five years, with the next due to take place in
December 2024.
482:
892:
881:
198:
The Water Act 2014 extended retail competition to all non-household customers of
English water companies from April 2017 and provided for possible future competition in
606:
1251:
927:
191:
Ofwat primarily sets limits on the prices charged for water and sewerage services, taking into account proposed capital investment schemes (such as building new
696:
599:
622:
1266:
676:
135:
721:
1172:
309:
185:
1167:
1023:
726:
641:
457:
681:
920:
671:
1271:
711:
202:
markets. Ofwat's role includes regulating such water and wastewater markets and promoting effective competition wherever appropriate.
1261:
359:
1220:
767:
656:
1225:
913:
812:
304:
234:
1043:
852:
827:
79:
421:(s36(1)-(2) in force at 1.4.2006 by S.I. 2005/2714, art. 4(c); s36(3)-(6) in force at 1.4.2005 by S.I. 2005/968, art. 2(e))
701:
686:
661:
288:
221:. There is no separate charge for water for residents or companies in Northern Ireland. Instead, water is paid for by the
857:
792:
532:
Hassan, John (1998). A History of Water in modern
England and Wales (Report). Manchester University Press. p. 176.
772:
646:
562:
184:. Ofwat's main statutory duties include protecting the interests of consumers, securing the long-term resilience of
822:
751:
328:
249:
in
England and Wales were privatised by flotation on the stock market. Its duties and powers are defined by the
936:
706:
507:
636:
292:
205:
Ofwat consists of a board, plus an office of staff which carries out work delegated to them by the board.
1198:
797:
213:
1193:
591:
1073:
777:
1177:
731:
666:
1107:
962:
1256:
1117:
1048:
1038:
862:
832:
716:
250:
1150:
807:
218:
817:
782:
376:
1078:
192:
8:
787:
553:
155:
1091:
967:
209:
188:, and ensuring that companies carry out their functions and are able to finance them.
1028:
741:
1068:
1058:
1053:
992:
982:
802:
1002:
262:
905:
398:
1133:
1112:
1018:
977:
651:
432:
226:
1240:
1033:
957:
577:
564:
997:
987:
972:
746:
458:"New Chairman of the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) announced"
275:
736:
691:
246:
222:
199:
621:
1063:
258:
365:(Report). London: National Audit Office (UK). 8 October 2015. HC487.
172:, is the body responsible for economic regulation of the privatised
1247:
Non-ministerial departments of the
Government of the United Kingdom
230:
177:
842:
837:
181:
173:
34:
547:
146:
508:"PN 03/21: Ofwat announces new interim Chief Executive"
401:. London: Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority)
212:
is responsible for environmental regulation, and the
97:
Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA
623:
Departments of the
Government of the United Kingdom
336:, Water Services Regulation Authority, 19 July 2012
136:Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
16:Body regulating the UK water and sewerage industry
935:
245:Ofwat was set up in 1988, at the same time as 10
1252:Water supply and sanitation in England and Wales
1238:
419:s36 Water Act 2003 coming into force 01/04/06.
310:Water supply and sanitation in England and Wales
261:was the Director General between 1989 and 2000;
697:Housing, Communities and Local Government
921:
607:
354:
352:
350:
360:The economic regulation of the water sector
24:
928:
914:
614:
600:
552:
330:Ofwat Annual Report and Accounts 2011-2012
154:
1267:2006 establishments in the United Kingdom
347:
1221:Water privatisation in England and Wales
768:Charity Commission for England and Wales
1239:
1226:Sewage discharge in the United Kingdom
531:
305:List of United Kingdom water companies
235:Water Industry Commission for Scotland
1044:Cholderton and District Water Company
909:
828:Office of Gas and Electricity Markets
682:Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
595:
80:Non-ministerial government department
26:Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Gwasanaethau Dŵr
888:
1204:Water Services Regulation Authority
677:Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
186:water supply and wastewater systems
166:Water Services Regulation Authority
22:Water Services Regulation Authority
13:
722:Science, Innovation and Technology
14:
1283:
1272:Organizations established in 2006
773:Competition and Markets Authority
539:
1262:Regulators of the United Kingdom
887:
876:
875:
823:National Savings and Investments
281:
33:
793:Government Actuary's Department
525:
707:Leader of the House of Commons
500:
483:"David Black, Chief Executive"
475:
450:
425:
413:
391:
369:
321:
1:
937:United Kingdom water industry
637:Advocate General for Scotland
315:
269:
1187:England and Wales regulators
712:Leader of the House of Lords
672:Energy Security and Net Zero
293:asset management plan period
124:David Black, Chief Executive
7:
1199:Drinking Water Inspectorate
798:Government Legal Department
298:
214:Drinking Water Inspectorate
10:
1288:
1194:Consumer Council for Water
240:
113:£19.1 million (2011-2012)
1213:
1186:
1160:
1143:
1126:
1101:
1074:South Staffordshire Water
1011:
950:
943:
871:
778:Crown Prosecution Service
760:
642:Attorney General's Office
629:
291:) for the next five year
176:and sewerage industry in
141:
131:
117:
109:
101:
93:
85:
75:
61:
46:
41:
32:
1178:Manx Utilities Authority
657:Culture, Media and Sport
274:The current chairman is
68:Office of Water Services
1118:Natural Resources Wales
1049:Essex and Suffolk Water
1039:Cambridge Water Company
863:UK Statistics Authority
833:Office of Rail and Road
251:Water Industry Act 1991
1151:Northern Ireland Water
687:Health and Social Care
219:Northern Ireland Water
50:1 April 1989
25:
1108:Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
963:Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
818:National Crime Agency
783:Food Standards Agency
1079:Youlgrave Waterworks
853:Serious Fraud Office
433:"Iain Coucher Chair"
193:wastewater treatment
808:Revenue and Customs
788:Forestry Commission
574: /
29:
1161:Crown dependencies
1092:Environment Agency
973:Severn Trent Water
968:Northumbrian Water
951:Water and sewerage
647:Business and Trade
578:52.4763°N 1.8986°W
210:Environment Agency
21:
1234:
1233:
1087:
1086:
1029:Bournemouth Water
903:
902:
813:National Archives
752:Work and Pensions
742:UK Export Finance
247:water authorities
162:
161:
132:Parent department
89:England and Wales
1279:
1144:Northern Ireland
1069:South East Water
1059:Portsmouth Water
1054:Hartlepool Water
993:United Utilities
983:South West Water
948:
947:
930:
923:
916:
907:
906:
891:
890:
879:
878:
717:Northern Ireland
616:
609:
602:
593:
592:
589:
588:
586:
585:
584:
583:52.4763; -1.8986
579:
575:
572:
571:
570:
567:
556:
551:
550:
548:Official website
534:
533:
529:
523:
522:
520:
518:
504:
498:
497:
495:
493:
479:
473:
472:
470:
468:
454:
448:
447:
445:
443:
429:
423:
417:
411:
410:
408:
406:
395:
389:
388:
386:
384:
373:
367:
366:
364:
356:
345:
344:
343:
341:
335:
325:
158:
153:
150:
148:
118:Agency executive
62:Preceding agency
57:
55:
37:
30:
28:
20:
1287:
1286:
1282:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1237:
1236:
1235:
1230:
1209:
1182:
1156:
1139:
1122:
1097:
1083:
1007:
1003:Yorkshire Water
939:
934:
904:
899:
867:
761:Non-ministerial
756:
727:Scotland Office
625:
620:
582:
580:
576:
573:
568:
565:
563:
561:
560:
546:
545:
542:
537:
530:
526:
516:
514:
506:
505:
501:
491:
489:
481:
480:
476:
466:
464:
456:
455:
451:
441:
439:
431:
430:
426:
418:
414:
404:
402:
397:
396:
392:
382:
380:
379:. London: Ofwat
377:"Price reviews"
375:
374:
370:
362:
358:
357:
348:
339:
337:
333:
327:
326:
322:
318:
301:
284:
272:
263:Philip Fletcher
243:
145:
127:
71:
53:
51:
42:Agency overview
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1285:
1275:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1257:Water in Wales
1254:
1249:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1201:
1196:
1190:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1175:
1173:Guernsey Water
1170:
1164:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1154:
1147:
1145:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1137:
1134:Scottish Water
1130:
1128:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1115:
1113:Hafren Dyfrdwy
1110:
1105:
1103:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1088:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1019:Affinity Water
1015:
1013:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
980:
978:Southern Water
975:
970:
965:
960:
954:
952:
945:
941:
940:
933:
932:
925:
918:
910:
901:
900:
898:
897:
885:
872:
869:
868:
866:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
764:
762:
758:
757:
755:
754:
749:
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
654:
652:Cabinet Office
649:
644:
639:
633:
631:
627:
626:
619:
618:
611:
604:
596:
558:
557:
541:
540:External links
538:
536:
535:
524:
499:
474:
449:
424:
412:
390:
368:
346:
319:
317:
314:
313:
312:
307:
300:
297:
283:
280:
271:
268:
242:
239:
227:water industry
160:
159:
143:
139:
138:
133:
129:
128:
126:
125:
121:
119:
115:
114:
111:
107:
106:
103:
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
87:
83:
82:
77:
73:
72:
70:
69:
65:
63:
59:
58:
48:
44:
43:
39:
38:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1284:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1218:
1216:
1212:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1185:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1152:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1142:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1100:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1034:Bristol Water
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
958:Anglian Water
956:
955:
953:
949:
946:
942:
938:
931:
926:
924:
919:
917:
912:
911:
908:
896:
895:
886:
884:
883:
874:
873:
870:
864:
861:
859:
858:Supreme Court
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
803:Land Registry
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
765:
763:
759:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
645:
643:
640:
638:
635:
634:
632:
628:
624:
617:
612:
610:
605:
603:
598:
597:
594:
590:
587:
555:
549:
544:
543:
528:
513:
509:
503:
488:
484:
478:
463:
459:
453:
438:
434:
428:
422:
416:
400:
394:
378:
372:
361:
355:
353:
351:
332:
331:
324:
320:
311:
308:
306:
303:
302:
296:
294:
290:
282:Price reviews
279:
277:
267:
264:
260:
254:
252:
248:
238:
236:
232:
229:regulator in
228:
224:
220:
215:
211:
206:
203:
201:
196:
194:
189:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
157:
152:
144:
140:
137:
134:
130:
123:
122:
120:
116:
112:
110:Annual budget
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
81:
78:
74:
67:
66:
64:
60:
49:
45:
40:
36:
31:
27:
19:
1203:
1168:Jersey Water
1153:(government)
1136:(government)
1024:Albion Water
998:Wessex Water
988:Thames Water
893:
880:
847:
747:Wales Office
559:
527:
515:. Retrieved
511:
502:
490:. Retrieved
486:
477:
465:. Retrieved
461:
452:
440:. Retrieved
436:
427:
420:
415:
403:. Retrieved
399:"Our duties"
393:
381:. Retrieved
371:
338:, retrieved
329:
323:
285:
276:Iain Coucher
273:
255:
244:
225:system. The
207:
204:
197:
190:
169:
165:
163:
94:Headquarters
86:Jurisdiction
18:
1120:(regulator)
1094:(regulator)
630:Ministerial
581: /
1241:Categories
566:52°28′35″N
383:29 January
316:References
270:Key people
54:1989-04-01
1064:SES Water
732:Transport
667:Education
569:1°53′55″W
405:23 August
259:Ian Byatt
200:wholesale
102:Employees
1127:Scotland
882:Category
737:Treasury
517:14 March
492:14 March
467:14 March
442:14 March
299:See also
231:Scotland
1214:Related
1206:(OFWAT)
944:England
894:Commons
702:Justice
662:Defence
241:History
233:is the
178:England
142:Website
52: (
843:Ofsted
838:Ofqual
462:GOV.UK
340:9 July
47:Formed
1102:Wales
1012:Water
848:Ofwat
512:Ofwat
487:Ofwat
437:Ofwat
363:(PDF)
334:(PDF)
223:rates
182:Wales
174:water
170:Ofwat
168:, or
147:ofwat
692:Home
519:2024
494:2024
469:2024
444:2024
407:2021
385:2023
342:2013
208:The
180:and
164:The
149:.gov
76:Type
289:RPI
151:.uk
105:226
1243::
510:.
485:.
460:.
435:.
349:^
295:.
237:.
929:e
922:t
915:v
615:e
608:t
601:v
521:.
496:.
471:.
446:.
409:.
387:.
56:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
