Water Minister Emma Hardy highlighted the significant challenges and opportunities for the UK water sector in the keynote speech at the British Water Annual Conference in Coventry yesterday.

Ofwat is consulting on new standards expected of water companies for how they should operate, grow and maintain their priority services registers (PSR) of customers that need extra help. The regulator estimates that as many as 52% of households in England and Wales are likely to be eligible for PSR services.

Severn Trent has launched a new incentive scheme in partnership with Nectar360, which owns and operates Nectar, rewarding customers for adopting a smart meter and reducing their water usage.

Ofwat has published its 2023-24 update on the business water retail market – the regulator has published a report summarising key market developments, including where and how the market is delivering for customers every year since market opening in April 2017.

Low public knowledge about water has allowed misconceptions to take root and trust to be eroded in the sector, according to a new report, while expectations on the sector from government, stakeholders and customers have changed far more rapidly than the sector and its regulators can keep up with

Severn Trent has announced plans to open a new customer contact and dedicated training centre that will create 40 new jobs in Leicester, with more to come.

At a summit taking place today, Ofgem and Ofwat will bring together suppliers, customer groups and experts to work towards a transformation in customer service culture across energy and water – especially for vulnerable customers.

The Government has today launched a consultation to double reimbursement for water company customers when their basic water services are hit.

MOSL’S independent Strategic Panel, the most senior industry group in the business retail water market, has published its draft Roadmap to a Flourishing Market for consultation - the roadmap sets out what needs to change to improve how the market functions and deliver greater benefits for customers.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) annual survey of household customers' views shows an unprecedented decline in consumer satisfaction with water companies -the worst results in 13 years - driven by people's concerns over protecting the environment.