Regulatory compliance
South West Water must ensure that its regulatory activities are compliant with its regulatory and legal obligations and regulators’ expectations.
As such, the Regulatory Compliance Governance Group meets regularly to review the company’s activities against these obligations against a register of Licence of Appointment, Non-Household Retail Market Code and ad-hoc regulatory compliance risks.
The Terms of Reference for the group are here.
Condition R of our Licence of Appointment, requires the company to have in place a Compliance Code. Amongst other things, the Code covers the provision and confidentiality of information between South West Water and any Licensee, to ensure that South West Water does not obtain a competitive advantage in the provision of water services.
The Condition R Compliance Code is here.
Frequently asked questions
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Why is my water white or cloudy?
It’s caused by air becoming trapped in the pipes, usually when repair work has been carried out. This is known as aerated water and it’s safe to continue drinking. A glass of aerated water will clear from the bottom upwards in about 30 seconds. Aerated water will...
How do I change or remove a name on my bill?
We can call you back to discuss changes because; You’ve got married You've legally changed your name You are adding or removing a person to your bill account You are advising us of a correction to a billing address. Please complete the details in our Arrange a free...
Why do I need permission to build over or close to a public sewer?
We need to approve your proposal of works (even if you have already had planning permission granted) as your building could cause damage or prevent access to the sewer. Some conservatories and minor works don’t always need planning and/or building regulation approval,...
My bill is in credit, can I get a refund?
If your latest bill is in credit and the bill is based on a reading rather than an estimated read (if you are on a meter), you can complete the details in our Arrange a free call back section on this page so that we can discuss the refund with you. If you’ve moved or...
About us
What area do you serve?
We provide water and sewerage services to Devon, Cornwall and small parts of Dorset and Somerset. Our region is nearly 4,300 square miles (11,137 square kilometres) in size. There are 1.6 million residents and around 5 million visitors a year. We provide clean water to...
How much water is supplied and taken away each day?
We supply over 345 million litres (76 million gallons) of water through 15,185KM of mains pipes every day. We take away and treat over 500 million litres (110 million gallons) of waste water at over 640 treatment works through 14,995km of sewers every day.
What’s happening in my area?
You can find out about work we are doing in your area by looking at our In your area site.
Do you have any job vacancies?
Please see our Careers page for current vacancies, student placements, graduate development programme and apprenticeships.
Water
What do you do to make sure my water is safe to drink?
We monitor water quality all the way from the source, through the treatment processes and distribution network of pipes right up until it reaches your tap. We take thousands of samples from our supply system and from our customers’ taps for testing. The Drinking Water...
Who is responsible for water pipes and leaks?
Pipes Description of pipe Responsibility Water main This is the large underground pipe which usually is found in the highway or road Our responsibility Communication pipe This is the underground pipe that runs from the water main to the boundary of the street...
Where can I find plans of pipework in my area?
For location of private pipework in your area contact your local District Council or check your house deeds. If you are a land or property owner you can request an asset plan by emailing Source for Searches. For solicitors/conveyancers looking for a water and drainage...
How hard is my water?
Most of our area is sourced from moorland rivers and reservoirs and is classed as soft or moderately soft. In East Devon the water comes from deep underground boreholes and this water is classed as slightly or moderately hard. You can read more about Water...
Wastewater
How can I dispose of fat, oil or grease?
The best way to get rid of fat or food without pouring it down the sink is to dry wipe plates and pans with kitchen roll before washing them and dispose of it in the bin. Leftover cooking fat should be emptied into a container (such as a fat trap) for it to cool and...
What are you doing to prevent sewer flooding?
We know that being affected by sewer flooding is unpleasant and upsetting so we’re working hard to prevent it from happening. Take a look at our new approach Downstream Thinking to tackle flooding from sewers. We regularly clean our sewers especially those we know are...
What causes sewer flooding?
Sewer flooding can be caused by: Blocked pipes Extreme weather causing prolonged rainfall Insufficient land drainage Surcharges from private sewers or drains You can find out more information here about the causes of sewer flooding. Or if you are affected by sewer...
How will you fix any problems on the sewers that you now own?
We will prioritise work by assessing the condition of the transferred sewers and pinpointing where issues may lie. We’ll focus on fixing sewers with a risk of collapsing or flooding first. To report a problem please call our Services Helpline on 0344 346 2020.