Every single day in England and Wales, a staggering 12,979 million litres of drinking water flows through our taps, yet nearly as much – 2,747 million litres – leaks away before it ever gets there, highlighting a system under immense strain from supply, demand, and environmental challenges.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022/23, the total volume of water supplied by English and Welsh water companies was 12,979 million litres per day
- Thames Water supplied 2,800 million litres of drinking water per day in 2022/23
- United Utilities produced 1,389 million litres of water per day in 2022/23
- The average household water consumption in England was 141 litres per person per day in 2022
- In Scotland, average household water use was 132 litres per person per day in 2022
- Welsh average household consumption was 137 litres per person per day in 2022
- UK total wastewater treated was 13.5 billion litres per day in 2022/23
- Thames Water treated 3.4 billion litres of wastewater daily in 2022/23
- United Utilities wastewater volume treated was 1.6 billion litres per day
- Average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales was £448 in 2023/24
- Thames Water average bill £542 for 2023/24
- United Utilities bills averaged £458 in 2023/24
- UK water companies invested £160 billion since privatisation in 1989
- Planned investment for 2025-30 AMP8 is £88 billion
- Thames Water £2.3 billion annual investment planned to 2030
UK water companies supply billions of litres daily but face major leakage and sewage overflow challenges.
Consumption
- The average household water consumption in England was 141 litres per person per day in 2022
- In Scotland, average household water use was 132 litres per person per day in 2022
- Welsh average household consumption was 137 litres per person per day in 2022
- London households consumed 144 litres per person per day in 2022
- North West England average was 138 litres per person per day in 2022
- Midlands region household use averaged 140 litres ppd in 2022
- Yorkshire and Humber average consumption was 142 litres per person per day in 2022
- East of England households used 145 litres ppd on average in 2022
- South East England average was 139 litres per person per day in 2022
- South West households consumed 136 litres ppd in 2022
- Total UK water demand peaked at 18.5 billion litres per day in summer 2022
- Non-household water use accounts for 20% of total supply in England
- Agriculture uses 2% of public water supply in England and Wales
- Industry consumes 18% of water supplied by companies in 2022/23
- Metered household consumption averages 120 litres ppd vs 160 unmetered in 2022
- 50.6% of households in England and Wales have water meters in 2023
- Daily water use for showers in UK homes averages 50 litres per person
- Toilets account for 30% of household indoor water use in UK
- Taps contribute 20% to household water use indoors
- Dishwashers use 10 litres per cycle on average in UK homes
Consumption Interpretation
It seems that whether we're showering, flushing, or simply washing our hands, the real water debate is settled in the utility bill, where metered households clearly demonstrate that when we're paying by the litre, we suddenly become experts at frugality.
Financial
- Average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales was £448 in 2023/24
- Thames Water average bill £542 for 2023/24
- United Utilities bills averaged £458 in 2023/24
- Severn Trent average bill £470 for 2023/24
- Yorkshire Water bills averaged £462 in 2023/24
- Anglian Water average £489 for 2023/24
- Southern Water bills £527 average in 2023/24
- Wessex Water average bill £512 for 2023/24
- South West Water bills £570 average highest in 2023/24
- Total turnover of water industry £18.5 billion in 2022/23
- Pre-tax profits totalled £2.3 billion for sector in 2022/23
- Dividends paid by companies £1.3 billion in 2022/23
- Gearing ratio average 65% for water companies in 2022/23
- Credit ratings: 12 companies investment grade in 2023
- Bad debt levels averaged 1.8% of turnover in 2022/23
- Social tariffs support 500,000 customers saving £100m annually
- Rule of 0 scheme discounts £50 bill for 200,000 low-income households
- Total capital expenditure £5.2 billion in 2022/23 by companies
- Operating expenditure totalled £9.1 billion in 2022/23
Financial Interpretation
While you're wincing at an average bill of £448—and a stunning £570 in the South West—it seems the industry is comfortably wading in £2.3 billion in profits, generously siphoning off £1.3 billion to shareholders, and pleading poverty with a 65% debt burden, all while spending £5.2 billion to fix the leaks we keep paying for.
Investment
- UK water companies invested £160 billion since privatisation in 1989
- Planned investment for 2025-30 AMP8 is £88 billion
- Thames Water £2.3 billion annual investment planned to 2030
- United Utilities £13.7 billion investment 2025-30
- Severn Trent £10.6 billion capex plan for AMP8
- Yorkshire Water £8.5 billion investment committed 2025-30
- Anglian Water £11.2 billion for AMP8 period
- Southern Water £2.4 billion investment plan 2025-30
- National Infrastructure Pipeline includes £10bn water projects to 2025
- Tideway Tunnel cost £4.2 billion completed 2025
- 1,400km new water mains laid in 2022/23
- 700km sewers constructed in 2022/23
- 250 new wastewater treatment works enhancements in 2022/23
- Smart metering rollout to 1.5m households by 2025
- Leakage reduction investment £1bn annually
Investment Interpretation
Despite a flood of investment since 1989 and a tidal wave of future spending plans, the industry's success still hinges on whether it can stop the nation's infrastructure from being all wet.
Quality
- 92% of drinking water samples met standards in 2022/23
- Compliance with E.coli standards 99.97% in England and Wales 2022
- Thames Water 99.92% microbiological compliance 2022/23
- United Utilities 99.98% compliance for water quality 2022/23
- Severn Trent 99.95% drinking water compliance 2022/23
- Yorkshire Water achieved 99.96% compliance 2022/23
- Anglian Water 99.93% standards met 2022/23
- Southern Water 99.94% water quality compliance
- Phosphates limit exceedances in 15% of rivers 2022
- Nitrates exceed in 28% of groundwater bodies in England 2022
- 16% of bathing waters rated poor in 2023
- Blue-green algae incidents 40 in England 2023
- Drinking water complaints per 100k population 12.5 in 2022/23
- Wastewater treatment works compliance 96% in 2022/23
Quality Interpretation
While the industry pours over sparkling compliance reports for the tap, our rivers and beaches whisper a murkier tale of algal blooms and bathing warnings, proving that what goes down the drain doesn't always stay out of sight.
Regulation
- There are 10 regional water companies serving 95% of population
- Ofwat regulates 11 WoCs and 7 WaSCs in England/Wales
- Price review PR24 determines bills for 2025-30
- Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) enforces standards
- Environment Agency monitors river quality under WFD
- CCW handles 200,000 customer complaints annually
- ODI scores: 8 companies met all targets in 2022/23
- Customer service score average 89.5% in 2022/23
- Supply interruptions >12hrs to 0.25% properties 2022/23
- Sewer flooding incidents internal 1 in 2400 properties
Regulation Interpretation
Despite the occasional internal sewer drama and a regulator's watchful eye, the UK water industry largely keeps its head above water, serving the majority with reliable taps and handling a flood of complaints with a surprisingly sunny customer service score.
Wastewater
- UK total wastewater treated was 13.5 billion litres per day in 2022/23
- Thames Water treated 3.4 billion litres of wastewater daily in 2022/23
- United Utilities wastewater volume treated was 1.6 billion litres per day
- Severn Trent treated 1.7 billion litres of wastewater daily in 2022/23
- Yorkshire Water's wastewater treatment averaged 1.3 billion litres per day
- Anglian Water treated 1.6 billion litres of wastewater daily in 2022/23
- Southern Water wastewater treatment volume was 0.7 billion litres per day
- Wessex Water treated 0.3 billion litres daily in 2022/23
- South West Water's daily wastewater treatment was 0.4 billion litres
- Storm overflows spilled sewage 825,000 times in England in 2022
- Thames Water had 117,000 storm overflow spills in 2022/23
- Southern Water recorded 46,000 storm overflows in 2022/23
- United Utilities storm overflows totalled 36,000 in 2022/23
- Severn Trent reported 61,000 sewage spills in 2022/23
- Total sewage discharged to rivers in England was 3.6 million hours in 2022
- 97% of wastewater in England undergoes secondary treatment
- There are 11,000 wastewater treatment works in England and Wales
- Sludge production from wastewater treatment was 1.2 million tonnes dry solids in 2022/23
- 55% of sewage sludge is used in agriculture in UK
Wastewater Interpretation
While the industry proudly treats nearly all our waste, the staggering 3.6 million hours of sewage discharged last year suggests our rivers are still getting more of a history lesson than a cleaning.
Water Supply
- In 2022/23, the total volume of water supplied by English and Welsh water companies was 12,979 million litres per day
- Thames Water supplied 2,800 million litres of drinking water per day in 2022/23
- United Utilities produced 1,389 million litres of water per day in 2022/23
- Severn Trent Water's average daily water supply was 1,450 million litres in 2022/23
- Yorkshire Water supplied 1,170 million litres per day on average in 2022/23
- Anglian Water's total water supply volume was 1,400 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Southern Water supplied 510 million litres of water daily in 2022/23
- Wessex Water's daily water production averaged 240 million litres in 2022/23
- South West Water supplied 310 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Affinity Water's supply was 450 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Bristol Water supplied 340 million litres daily in 2022/23
- Bournemouth Water's average daily supply was 110 million litres in 2022/23
- The total leakage from water mains in England and Wales was 2,747 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Thames Water's leakage rate was 521 million litres per day in 2022/23
- United Utilities reduced leakage to 384 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Severn Trent's leakage was 318 million litres daily in 2022/23
- Yorkshire Water's leakage stood at 259 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Anglian Water reported leakage of 286 million litres per day in 2022/23
- Southern Water's leakage was 152 million litres daily in 2022/23
- Wessex Water leakage was 70 million litres per day in 2022/23
- South West Water's leakage rate was 85 million litres daily in 2022/23
Water Supply Interpretation
While collectively serving a staggering 13 billion litres a day, it appears England and Wales are also running a separate, rather disheartening competition for the "Spillage League," with nearly 3 billion litres lost daily ensuring someone's prize-winning begonias are never thirsty.
Sources & References
- Reference 1OFWATofwat.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2THAMESWATERthameswater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 3UNITEDUTILITIESunitedutilities.comVisit source
- Reference 4SEVERNTRENTseverntrent.comVisit source
- Reference 5YORKSHIREWATERyorkshirewater.comVisit source
- Reference 6ANGLIANWATERanglianwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 7SOUTHERNWATERsouthernwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 8WESSEXWATERwessexwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 9SOUTHWESTWATERsouthwestwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 10AFFINITYWATERaffinitywater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 11BRISTOLWATERbristolwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 12BOURNEMOUTHWATERbournemouthwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 13GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 14SCOTTISHWATERscottishwater.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 15NRWnrw.walesVisit source
- Reference 16WATERwater.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 17CCWATERccwater.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 18WATERWISEwaterwise.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 19ENVIRONMENTAL-AGENCYenvironmental-agency.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 20WHICHwhich.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 21ENVIRONMENTenvironment.data.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 22STORMOVERFLOWSstormoverflows.severntrent.comVisit source
- Reference 23TIDEWAYtideway.londonVisit source
- Reference 24DWIdwi.gov.ukVisit source