Water and Sewerage Companies in England: Environmental Performance Report 2025
- Total pollution incidents (sewerage assets only)
- Serious pollution incidents (sewerage and water supply assets)
- How often companies report pollution incidents themselves.
- Compliance with permits for treated wastewater.
- The safe and satisfactory use or disposal of sewage sludge.
- Delivery of environmental improvement schemes on time.
EPA ratings have declined to a total of 16 stars out of a possible 36.
The number of serious pollution incidents remained too high at 74.
There were 2,666 pollution incidents during 2025 (2,205 pollution incidents from sewerage assets) – a slight improvement on the previous year but remaining too high.
87% of incidents were self-reported.
Compliance with numeric permit conditions at sewage treatment works and water treatment works fell to 97.4%.
99.99% of sewage sludge produced met the requirements of the satisfactory sludge use and disposal.
- 80.2% of environmental improvement requirements were completed on time- the lowest percentage of completion since 2011
What is this report?
This annual report assesses the environmental performance of England's nine water and sewerage companies. It includes the Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA), which provides a transparent assessment of company performance against key environmental measures.
The assessment supports our work as an independent, evidence-led environmental regulator by highlighting both where companies are doing well and where performance needs to improve. We use monitoring, inspections, intelligence and environmental data to identify poor performance, secure improvements and hold companies to account where standards are not met.
Where is it published?
We publish the EPA results on GOV.UK.
For historical comparisons, you can view EPA results from 2011 to 2025.
What does it cover?
We assess each water and sewerage company against a consistent set of environmental measures.
For 2025, the six EPA metrics are:
We use environmental data, information reported to us by companies, inspections and other regulatory evidence to complete the assessment.
Each company receives an overall rating that shows how well it has performed.
How are the ratings calculated?
The 2025 assessment will be the final year using the current EPA methodology. A new methodology will be introduced from the next reporting period to reflect updated expectations for water company environmental performance.
Headline performance
The Environment Agency's assessment shows that overall performance remains below expected standards and companies must improve.
Key facts
How have water and sewerage companies performed?
The last Water Company Performance Report covers company performance during 2025 and was published on 29 October 2026.
The table below shows each company’s overall rating and how it changed from 2024.
| Water Company | 2025 rating - Stars (out of 4) | Change since 2024 |
| Anglian Water | 2 | No change |
| Northumbrian Water | 2 | No change |
| Severn Trent Water | 4 | No change |
| Southern Water | 1 | Down 1 star |
| South West Water | 1 | Down 1 star |
| Thames Water | 1 | No change |
| United Utilities | 2 | No change |
| Wessex Water | 2 | No change |
| Yorkshire Water | 1 | Down 1 star |
Sector result: The nine companies achieved 16 out of a possible 36 stars in 2025, three fewer than in 2024.
What happens next?
The Environment Agency will continue to use monitoring, inspections, intelligence, environmental data and enforcement to identify poor performance, secure improvements and hold companies to account where environmental standards are not met.
Water and sewerage companies must improve their environmental performance and deliver the investment and actions needed to reduce pollution, improve compliance and meet their environmental obligations.
Continued performance reporting will make progress and poor performance more visible, helping the public, government and regulators understand where companies are meeting expectations and where further action is required.