UK water companies

There are 25 water companies that supply in England and Wales: 10 companies provide combined water and sewerage services and 15 supply water only.

The water company that supplies your water and sewerage services will depend on the water supply region you live in. There are two possibilities:

• the same company supplies both services
• your water is supplied by a water only company and your sewerage services are supplied by a water and sewerage company

If separate water companies supply your water and sewerage services then you will either receive separate bills for each service or your water company will bill you for both services and collect the money on behalf of the sewerage company.

While England and Wales has over 20 water companies, Scotland has one single water company, Scottish Water, which supplies water and sewerage services to the whole of Scotland. Scottish Water was created in 2002 from the three former public water authorities; North of Scotland Water, East of Scotland Water and West of Scotland Water.

The water supply in Northern Ireland is still in the public sector and, like Scotland, there is only one water authority rather than many water companies. The Northern Ireland Water Service is an Executive Agency within the Department for Regional Development.

If you don't know which of the water companies in England and Wales provides your water and sewerage services then uSwitch.com can help. By simply entering your postcode into the uSwitch.com water bill comparison service you will be given a list of the water companies that supply water and sewerage services to your area. All you have to do is select your water company(s) from the list.

Water companies are subject to regulation just like companies in other industries such as energy and home telephone. Overall water policy is governed in England and Wales by The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and by The Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs of the Scottish Executive in Scotland.

Every five years Ofwat, the water industry regulator, reviews water rates to ensure that firms can continue to deliver their services effectively and meet new obligations.

Unlike the gas and electricity industries, privatisation hasn't resulted in direct competition between water companies in England and Wales, so you cannot change your water and sewerage supplier. Not being able to change water companies doesn't have to be a problem though, as the uSwitch.com water bill efficiency service is here to help you save money and water.