Use the handbook
Work out whether the problem is a bill, leak, affordability, pollution, drinking-water quality, or information route issue.
Open handbookResearch-led public guide
Check your water bill before you accept it.
Understand the bill, spot common charging issues, gather evidence, complain to the right body, and find help if the cost is too high.
The key truth
A high bill is not proof of wrongdoing, but it is worth checking.
Estimated readings, leaks, surface water drainage, meter problems, tariff issues, household changes, and support schemes can all affect what someone pays. The safest route is to check the facts, keep records, and escalate in the right order.
Simple route
One practical step at a time
The site starts with a practical customer handbook, then moves into bill checks, complaint routes, money, company performance, and sourced industry data.
Check the bill
Look at meter readings, estimates, standing charges, wastewater charges, big jumps, and household use.
Open bill checkCollect evidence
Keep photos, readings, dates, calls, emails, leak reports, payment plans, and complaint replies.
Build the evidence packUse the route
Complain to the company first, then CCW, then the current independent ADR route where the case is eligible.
See the complaint stepsUnderstand the data
See bill increases, complaints, pollution performance, enforcement cases, and trust indicators.
View industry watchWhy this matters
Customers are facing higher bills while trust is under pressure.
These figures do not prove that any one bill is wrong. They show why customers need a calm, practical way to check bills and escalate problems.
GBP 104bn
sector upgrade approved by Ofwat for 2025-30 in its PR24 final determinations.
36%
average bill rise before inflation across 2025-30 in Ofwat's PR24 final determinations.
16,000+
complaints handled by CCW during 2025, up 51% compared with 2024 according to CCW's Water Matters 2026 release.
6.07
average trust score for water companies in CCW Water Matters research published in 2026.
New handbook layer
The site now works like a public handbook.
It separates immediate personal action from broader accountability evidence, so customers can complain clearly without making claims they cannot prove.
Customer handbook
Choose the right route by issue type and build the first written request.
Regulators and contacts
Phone numbers, addresses, emails where published, and complaint route links.
Money and accountability
Bill rises, dividends, enforcement redress, customer arrears, and marketing rulings.
Regional watch
A map-style guide to company areas and the datasets to check.
What a good site can do
Help people act without overstating the case.
- Find bill errors, rebates, allowances, and support schemes.
- Reduce wasted time by sending complaints to the right body.
- Make company behaviour visible through official performance data.
Careful wording
Guidance, not a verdict
The site helps people organise facts. Regulators, ombudsman routes, and official bodies decide outcomes.
Start with the bill. If something looks wrong, do not jump straight to accusation. Ask what changed, what the company can evidence, what the rules allow, and which complaint route can actually help.