UK water service undertakers
This page collects information and links about the water undertakers (infrastructure companies) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Licensed undertakers in England and Wales
The following links are to the websites, consolidated instruments of appointment (licenses) and 2005/2006 regulatory accounts of the water undertakers in England and Wales.
The list is in alphabetical order of the three-letter codes frequently used to refer to the price-controlled companies in technical documents.
- ALB: Albion Water Ltd
Water only (supplies a large industrial user)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
No regulatory accounts — not price controlled (deemed subject to effective competition)
- ANH: Anglian Water Services Ltd
Sewerage (2.5 million connected properties) and water (2.0 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £4.5 billion
- BRL: Bristol Water plc
Water only (0.5 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.2 billion
- BWH: Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Plc
Water only (0.2 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.1 billion
- CAM: Cambridge Water PLC
Water only (0.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.05 billion
- CHO: Cholderton and District Water Company Ltd
Water only (1,900 customers)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
No regulatory accounts — statutory accounts are deemed sufficient
- DVW: Dee Valley Water PLC
Water only (0.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.05 billion
- FLK: Folkestone and Dover Water Services Ltd
Water only (0.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.06 billion
- MKT: Mid Kent Water Ltd
Water only (0.2 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.2 billion
South East Water (MSE) and Mid Kent (MKT) are merging with the consent of the Competition Commission.
- MSE: South East Water Ltd
Water only (0.6 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.5 billion
South East Water (MSE) and Mid Kent (MKT) are merging with the consent of the Competition Commission.
- NES: Northumbrian Water Ltd
Sewerage (3.1 million connected properties) and water (1.9 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £2.6 billion
- NWT: United Utilities Water PLC
Water (3.2 million connected properties) and sewerage (3.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £6.4 billion
- PRT: Portsmouth Water Ltd
Water only (0.3 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.1 billion
- SES: Sutton & East Surrey Water Plc
Water only (0.3 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.1 billion
- SRN: Southern Water Services Ltd
Sewerage (1.8 million connected properties) and water (1.0 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £2.5 billion
- SST: South Staffordshire Water plc
Water only (0.6 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.2 billion
- SVT: Severn Trent Water Ltd
Sewerage (3.7 million connected properties) and water (3.3 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £5.3 billion
- SWT: South West Water Ltd
Water (0.7 million connected properties) and sewerage (0.7 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £2.1 billion
- THD: Tendring Hundred Water Services Ltd
Water only (0.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.05 billion
- TMS: Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Sewerage (5.7 million connected properties) and water (3.7 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £5.9 billion
- TVN: Three Valleys Water Services PLC
Water only (1.2 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £0.6 billion
- WSH: Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig (Welsh Water)
Sewerage (1.4 million connected properties) and water (1.3 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £3.0 billion
- WSX: Wessex Water Services Ltd
Sewerage (1.1 million connected properties) and water (0.6 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £1.8 billion
- YKY: Yorkshire Water Services Ltd
Water (2.1 million connected properties) and sewerage (2.1 million connected properties)
Consolidated instrument of appointment (PDF)
Regulatory accounts 2005/2006 (PDF)
Regulatory capital value at 31 March 2006: £3.7 billion
Main sources:
- Ofwat list of consolidated instruments of appointment
- Ofwat list of links to 2005/2006 regulatory accounts (1 page, Microsoft Word)
- June returns 2005
- Ofwat letter on regulatory capital values
Ofwat has published a report and data tables with highlight some of the information provided in the companies' regulatory submissions.
Under the Water Act 2003's water supply licensing regime, some companies not listed above may be licensed to supply water through a public system and/or to put water into a public system as part of a "common carriage" arrangement with the undertaker. These companies cannot be responsible for the distribution infrastructure of a public water system, or to be involved in running a public sewerage system.
Scottish Water
See Scottish Water, Waterwatch Scotland or WICS for information about the State-owned water services undertaker in Scotland.
The most recent main relevant legislation is the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 which seeks to prohibit common carriage.
Water Service of Northern Ireland
The regulatory arrangements introduced by the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 mirror the arrangements in England and Wales.
The UK Government "ruled out" privatisation (3 pages, PDF) in 2003.
The devolved government established in May 2007 is conducting a review of water and sewerage services.
See also Water Service Northern Ireland and Water Reform Northern Ireland.
Other links
- Are Scottish Water's charges excessive | viewpoint: Franck (2006)
- Water mergers: Ofwat's response | viewpoint: Franck (2004)
- Water mergers (2004)
- Access pricing in water | viewpoint: Franck (2004)
- Water services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005
- Water Act 2003
- Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992
- Water Industry Act 1991
This page is managed by Reckon LLP. Users are encouraged to contribute relevant views and links. Use the "Edit this page" or "Add a comment" button above to edit the text or to add comments and notes. Advice on making contributions (including trackback) is in the Guidelines.
Last changed by Franck at 8:31 PM on Sunday 17 June 2007.