Office of Water Services - Definition and Overview

The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) is the body which is responsible for economic regulation of the privatised water industry in England and Wales. (The equivalent body in Scotland is the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland.) The Environment Agency is responsible for environmental regulation, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate for regulating drinking water quality. Ofwat is primarily responsible for setting limits on the price rises that water companies can impose, takng into account proposed capital investment schemes (such as building new wastewater treatment works) and expected operational efficiency gains.

Ofwat was set up in 1989 at the time when the 10 Water Authorities in England and Wales were privatised by flotation on the stock market. The resulting companies are known as the water and sewerage companies, to distinguish 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 nineteenth century). The water only companies provide water to around 25% of the population in England and Wales.

Link

• Ofwat website (http://www.ofwat.gov.uk)

The water and sewerage companies

• ANGLIAN WATER SERVICES

http://www.anglianwater.co.uk

• DWR CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG WELSH WATER

http://www.dwrcymru.co.uk

• NORTHUMBRIAN WATER

http://www.nwl.co.uk

• Severn Trent Water

http://www.stwater.co.uk

• SOUTH WEST WATER

http://www.south-west-water.co.uk

• SOUTHERN WATER SERVICES

http://www.southernwater.co.uk

• THAMES WATER UTILITIES

http://www.thames-water.com

• UNITED UTILITIES WATER

http://www.unitedutilities.com

• WESSEX WATER SERVICES

http://www.wessexwater.co.uk

• YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES

http://www.yorkshirewater.com

The water only companies

• ALBION WATER (SHOTTON) LTD

http://www.enviro-logic.com

• BOURNEMOUTH & WEST HAMPSHIRE WATER PLC

http://www.bwhwater.co.uk

• BRISTOL WATER PLC

http://www.bristolwater.co.uk

• CAMBRIDGE WATER COMPANY PLC

http://www.cambridge-water.co.uk

• CHOLDERTON & DISTRICT WATER COMPANY LTD

• DEE VALLEY WATER PLC

• ESSEX & SUFFOLK WATER

http://www.eswater.co.uk

• FOLKESTONE & DOVER WATER SERVICES LTD

http://www.fdws.co.uk

• HARTLEPOOL WATER PLC

• MID KENT WATER PLC

http://www.midkentwater.co.uk

• PORTSMOUTH WATER PLC

http://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk

• SOUTH EAST WATER PLC

http://www.southeastwater.co.uk

• SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE WATER PLC

http://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk

• SUTTON and EAST SURREY WATER PLC

http://www.waterplc.com

• TENDRING HUNDRED WATER SERVICES LTD

http://www.thws.co.uk

• THREE VALLEYS WATER PLC

http://www.3valleys.co.uk

See also

• UK topics