Can households switch their water supplier?

No, the regulating body, Ofwat, currently does not allow households to change their water suppliers. The supplier of your properties water and wastewater services is determined by your geographical location.

The water market for businesses was only recently deregulated but this has not been extended to households.

In 2015 Ofwat published a report assessing the costs and benefits of extending the competition to the residential retail water market. The report concluded that “the financial benefits of opening the market should exceed the costs” however no firm plans have been put in place to change the current rules.