On 29 October 2026 four bodies – the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and Ofwat – published their first joint report, “Water Industry Performance Insights”. It brings together data on water quality, leakage, sewer flooding and pollution in one place.
What we checked
A popular claim goes: “tap water in the UK is getting worse”. The official data show something different – drinking water performs very well, while the problem lies with the environment and sewage.
What the figures say
- 99.97% of drinking water tests met the required standards.
- In 2025 there were 2,991 pollution incidents in England and Wales, including 84 serious ones.
- The Environment Agency’s environmental rating for the industry: 16 stars out of a possible 36 – a further decline.
- 93.7% of required environmental improvement actions were completed on time; 142 of 2,254 planned actions were not delivered.
- Internal sewer flooding of homes and businesses has fallen by 43% in recent years.
- Average household water use: 137.3 litres per person per day, similar to the previous year.
- In Ofwat’s 2025–26 assessment, ten ratings were “good” or “on track”, seven were “off track”, and eight received an “improving” tag.
What is confirmed and what is not
Confirmed: tap water almost always meets standards, and the number of serious pollution incidents and the weak environmental rating are a real problem for the industry. Not confirmed: the report does not say drinking water is getting worse. Nor does it say how large future fines or bill increases will be – those are separate decisions.
On the same day the government announced further action against water company bosses over pollution.
What it means for you
You can drink tap water without worry. If you pay a water bill – at home or for a business – it is worth knowing how your supplier performs. The report lets you check this in one place.
Our assessment
One joint report instead of four separate ones is a good step for ordinary people. The figures are clear: drinking water – very good; protection of rivers and the sea – poor. Pressure for improvement will grow.
What to do
- Check your water company’s results in the regulators’ announcement and report on GOV.UK.
- Report river or sea pollution to the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 80 70 60 (England).
- Report a problem with your tap water to your water supplier first.
Source: GOV.UK – DWI, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and Ofwat, “Water Industry Performance Insights” (29 October 2026).
We assess factual corrections and substantive responses. Verified changes are reflected in our reporting.
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