Watch Your Water Bill

Regulators and contacts

Use the body that can actually act.

Water complaints split across different organisations. This page separates bill and service complaints from pollution, drinking-water quality, information rights, advertising claims, and regulatory issues.

Do not send everything to every body.

For most personal household bill disputes, the company first and CCW second is the practical route. Ofwat says it does not deal with individual consumer complaints about water companies or individual bills except for a small number of disputes within its remit.

See complaint steps

Visual route finder

Match the issue before sending it.

Bill or service Company first, then CCW

Use for high bills, readings, leaks, rebates, payment support, and poor customer service.

Water safety Company, then DWI

Use for drinking-water taste, odour, colour, quality, or safety concerns.

Environment EA or NRW incident route

Use for sewage, pollution, dead fish, illegal abstraction, or environmental harm.

Regulatory issue Ofwat where in remit

Use for issues Ofwat can determine or investigate, not routine personal bill casework.

Information ICO route

Use when an official information or environmental information request has gone wrong.

Advertising ASA route

Use for misleading environmental marketing claims with screenshots and dates.

Route finder

Which body for which issue?

Official routes for common water problems
Problem Start with Escalate to Evidence to keep
Bill amount, estimated reading, wrong meter, leak allowance, rebate, payment support Your water or wastewater company CCW, then current ADR where eligible Bills, readings, photos, dates, repair evidence, complaint replies
Sewage, river pollution, dead fish, illegal abstraction, environmental harm Environment Agency in England or Natural Resources Wales in Wales Company complaint and regulator follow-up if needed Exact location, time, photos, videos, smell/colour notes, reference number
Drinking-water taste, smell, colour, quality, or safety Your water company Drinking Water Inspectorate if the company response does not resolve it Photos, sample timing, area, company contact, health advice received
Regulatory dispute Ofwat can determine, GSS dispute after CCW, licence issue Company and relevant consumer route first Ofwat where within remit Final company/CCW position, complaint summary, legal or rule basis
Environmental information request ignored or mishandled The public authority or relevant body that holds the information ICO official information route Request text, date sent, acknowledgement, review request, refusal notice
Misleading environmental advertising or marketing Advertiser first if appropriate Advertising Standards Authority Screenshot, date, where seen, exact claim, why material information may be missing

Official contacts

Links, phone numbers, addresses, and emails.

Email addresses are shown only where they are published by an official source. For urgent pollution or supply incidents, use the official phone or form route.

Consumer body

CCW

Unresolved water company and retailer complaints in England and Wales.

  • England: 0300 034 2222
  • Wales: 0300 034 3333
  • Post: CCW, 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH
Make a complaint
Economic regulator

Ofwat

Sector regulation and a small number of disputes Ofwat can determine. Not usually personal bill casework.

  • Phone: 0121 644 7500
  • Written route: Ofwat's online form for eligible disputes, or post
  • Post: Ofwat, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA, United Kingdom
Ofwat route
Drinking water

Drinking Water Inspectorate

Water-quality concerns after contacting the company first.

  • Phone: 0330 041 6501
  • Email: dwi.enquiries@defra.gov.uk
Report a problem
England pollution

Environment Agency

Water pollution, sewage, dead fish, illegal abstraction, damage to nature, and environmental incidents in England.

  • Incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60
  • 24-hour service
Report environmental problem
Wales pollution

Natural Resources Wales

Environmental incidents in Wales. Include what, where, when, whether it is still happening, and photos or videos.

  • Phone: 0300 065 3000
  • 24-hour service
Report an incident
Information rights

ICO

Escalation route for official information and environmental information handling problems.

  • Use the ICO's current online route.
  • Keep request dates and review replies.
Official information help
Advertising

Advertising Standards Authority

Misleading environmental marketing claims. ASA has upheld complaints where water company ads omitted material environmental information.

  • Keep screenshots and dates.
  • Explain the exact claim and missing context.
Complain to ASA
Supplier finder

Water UK

Use this if you do not know your water or wastewater company.

  • Some homes have one company for water and another for wastewater.
  • Your bill should also name the company.
Find your supplier
Dispute resolution

Independent ADR

Water UK announced Dispute Resolution Ombudsman as the free independent ADR provider from May 2026 while statutory ombudsman reform is developed.

  • Check eligibility with CCW and the ADR provider.
  • Do not use old WATRS links without checking current status.
ADR update

Contact source links

CCW contact page Ofwat water company enquiries DWI problem route EA environmental problem route NRW incident route ASA Wessex Water ruling

Official contact routes can change; open the source pages before sending sensitive information.