If you are looking for the water ombudsman, the honest answer is that there is not one, at least not in the way there is an Energy Ombudsman or a Financial Ombudsman Service. Water complaints in England and Wales follow a different route, and it changed twice during 2026. This guide sets out who actually handles your complaint now, and how to put the letter together.
Who handles water complaints in England and Wales
Three stages, in this order.
- Your water company. Every complaint starts here. The company should reply within 10 working days. If you are not satisfied, ask for a stage two review, which gets another 10 working days.
- CCW, the Consumer Council for Water. This is the independent body for water customers and it is free. You can take your complaint to CCW once you have the company’s final response, or once eight weeks have passed.
- Independent adjudication. If CCW cannot settle it, the dispute can go to an independent adjudicator whose decision is binding on the water company. It is free to the customer.
The 2026 changes, and why older guidance is out of date
The final stage has moved twice, so a lot of what you will read elsewhere is wrong:
- It used to be WATRS, the Water Redress Scheme, run by CEDR.
- From December 2023, CCW appointed the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman to provide adjudication instead, so customers no longer applied to a separate scheme.
- On 24 April 2026, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs instructed CCW to stop providing that service.
- On 14 May 2026, Water UK appointed the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman to deliver free independent adjudication, at the department’s request, so customers were not left without a route. It covers household and business customers of the largest companies in England and Wales, more than 99 per cent of connected properties.
This arrangement is meant to run until the government sets up a statutory water ombudsman. If you see a page telling you to apply to WATRS, it is out of date.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are separate. Scottish Water complaints go to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman after the company’s own process, and Northern Ireland customers deal with NI Water and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
What you can complain about
- Billing errors, disputed charges, and meter or tariff problems.
- Water quality, discolouration, taste, smell and pressure.
- Leaks, and disputes about who is responsible for a supply pipe.
- Sewerage problems, blockages, flooding from sewers and the clean up afterwards.
- Damage or disruption caused by the company’s work on your property or street.
- Missed appointments and failures under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, which sets fixed payments for certain service failures.
- How the company handled the complaint itself.
Ofwat regulates the industry and sets the rules companies operate under, but it does not settle individual complaints, so writing to Ofwat is not a route to redress on your own case.
How to set out the letter
Whether it is going to the company, to CCW or to adjudication, the file is decided on what you wrote and what you attached. Structure does the work.
- Your details. Name, supply address, account number, and the company’s own complaint reference.
- What happened, in date order. When you first reported it, who you spoke to, what you were told, what happened next.
- The effect on you. Charges you dispute, money you have spent, damage caused, and time without a usable supply.
- What the company has offered. Any credit, payment or repair already proposed, and why it does not resolve the matter.
- What you are asking for. A corrected bill, a specific refund, a repair completed by a date, or a payment reflecting the loss and disruption.
- Evidence, numbered. Bills, meter readings, photographs of damage or discolouration, plumber or insurer reports, and your correspondence.
Dates and readings matter more than adjectives here. A short, factual account with numbered attachments is easier to decide than a long account of how frustrating it has been.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a water ombudsman in the UK?
Not as a statutory body in England and Wales at present. Complaints go to your water company, then to CCW, and then to independent adjudication delivered by the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman under an arrangement Water UK put in place in May 2026. The government has said it intends to establish a statutory water ombudsman.
How do I write a letter to the water ombudsman?
Write to the stage that applies to you. Give your account number and supply address, set out the events in date order, state what the problem has cost you, say what the company has already offered, and state the outcome you want. Attach numbered evidence, including bills, readings and photographs.
What can I complain to CCW about?
Billing and charges, water quality and pressure, leaks and pipe responsibility, sewerage and sewer flooding, damage from company works, missed appointments, Guaranteed Standards Scheme failures, and complaint handling.
How long does the water company have to respond?
Ten working days at the first stage, and another ten working days if you ask for a stage two review. You can go to CCW after the final response, or after eight weeks.
Does it cost anything?
No. CCW is free, and the adjudication service is free to the customer. You do not need to pay anyone to bring a water complaint.
Is WATRS still running?
No. WATRS was replaced, and the adjudication service is now delivered by the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman. Guidance still pointing you to WATRS is out of date.
Where we fit in
Equisure Direct is a document preparation service. We can put the correspondence together so the timeline, the costs and the outcome you are asking for are set out clearly, with your evidence organised and referenced. You review it, you send it, and the complaint stays yours. We do not act for you, contact the company on your behalf, or take part in the decision, and we cannot say how any complaint will be decided.