October 2023
Featured in this insight: Water
Scottish Water is found to be leading water company in latest performance poll: Scottish Water has been revealed as the top water company in the latest performance survey by British Water. The company received an overall performance score of 8.1, scoring highly for contractual approach, collaboration and communication. In second and third places were Northumbrian Water (8.0) and Yorkshire Water (7.6).
First conducted in 2003, the survey by British Water allows water companies to see how they compare with other water companies across the UK, with contractors, consultants and suppliers taking part to rate companies across 12 key areas including communication, contractual approach, professionalism and innovation, and impact on the supply chain.
The UK Water Company Performance Survey 2023 found that Severn Trent Water saw the most significant improvements since the previous survey, rising from 10th place in 2022, to fifth place overall. Anglian Water experienced a significant drop in the latest survey from 2nd place in 2022, to 8th position in the 2023 survey.
Northern Ireland Water received the lowest performance score in the 2023 survey (6.2).
The lowest scoring areas revealed by the survey were innovation, followed by working digitally, the ability to implement workforce contingency plans to sustain operations, and the ability of partners and main contractors to follow policy.
Innovation
Looking at innovation, the top score was 7.9 achieved by Northumbrian Water, while the industry average score was 6.4. Ranking below average in this area were South West Water and Northern Ireland Water, both with a score of 5.4.
Communication
Focussing on communication, Scottish Water came top with an average score of 8.4, followed by Northumbrian Water (8.1) and Yorkshire Water (7.8). Portsmouth Water (5.9) Bristol Water (6.3) and Northern Ireland Water (6.3) were at the bottom end of the table, below the average score of 7.0.
Overall Average Performance Scores (average 7.1)
- Scottish Water – 8.1
- Northumbrian Water – 8.0
- Yorkshire Water – 7.6
- SES Water – 7.5
- Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water – 7.4
- Wessex Water – 7.3
- Severn Trent Water – 7.3
- Affinity Water – 7.2
- United Utilities – 7.2
- Anglian Water – 7.1
- Thames Water – 7.0
- South Staffs Water – 7.0
- Southern Water – 6.7
- South East Water – 6.6
- South West Water – 6.5
- Bristol Water – 6.4
- Portsmouth Water – 6.4
- Northern Ireland Water – 6.2
