Our Plan for Change 2025 – 2030
Bringing you better water services
Delivering for our customers
Our parent company Pennon has confirmed plans to deliver what matters most to customers and communities for the period 2025-2030, with record levels of investment across the South West, Bristol, Bournemouth and Sutton and East Surrey.
Our £3.2bn investment will see further improvements across the main customer priorities – securing safe, clean drinking water, reducing the use of storm overflows across the regions’ bathing waters and protecting the environment, with investments in renewables.
Our 3 priorities
Our commitment to affordability
We are committed to affordable water bills. We offer a range of support measures from money-saving tariffs to debt support and payment plans to help customers who are struggling. In 2025, we’re offering the largest-ever customer support package of £175m.
We are on track to eradicate water poverty within the region by 2030.
We can help if you need support with your bill.
Investment programme FAQs
Investment and the environment
We've put together some FAQs to help answer any questions you may have about our £3.2bn investment programme.
Our investment plan will enhance resilience, secure water supplies for the future, and ensure a sustainable future. Our plan includes exciting major projects, including investing in the construction of a new reservoir at Cheddar in Bristol, and the development of water grid to connect strategic reservoirs in the south west. We will continue to develop drought-resistant infrastructure, reduce leakage on the network and at households. We will tackle pollution at every beach by 2030, five years ahead of target. These projects are designed to ensure we adapt to changing climate conditions, meet the needs of communities, and support housing and growth.
We are committed to transparency and accountability. We have robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track our progress and make necessary adjustments. We regularly publish performance reports, engage with communities and stakeholders, and maintain open communication with our customers.
Innovation and technology are at the heart of our strategy. We are exploring the use of smart meters, AI-driven analytics, and other cutting-edge technologies to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer service, and support our environmental goals.
The proposed bill increases will fund essential investments in our infrastructure and services. These investments are crucial for improving water quality, reducing pollution, enhancing customer service, and ensuring the resilience of our water supply in the face of climate change.
To fund some of the investment, we will be raising funds from investors. By attracting investment, we can spread the cost of these essential improvements over a longer period, keeping bills lower for customers. This will mean we can make necessary upgrades now while enabling customers to pay for them gradually.
Investors are allowed a fair return on their investment. This is included in the bills we collect from customers. The level of returns is set by Ofwat, and is similar to the level when savings are deposited in a bank account.
We are developing four new water supply schemes equivalent to 70 million litres per day. This includes developing both the Mendips Quarry and Poole Harbour regional supply schemes and developing and commencing construction of the new Cheddar 2 reservoir . This is in addition to the substantial new water resources currently being developed, such as the South Cornwall desalination plant. We are also taking action to reduce demand, including reducing leakage to less than 10% on our pipes.
Our investment plan will enhance resilience, secure water supplies for the future, and ensure a sustainable future. Our plan includes exciting major projects, including investing in the construction of a new reservoir at Cheddar in Bristol, and the development of water grid to connect strategic reservoirs in the south west. We will continue to develop drought-resistant infrastructure, reduce leakage on the network and at households. We will tackle pollution at every beach by 2030, five years ahead of target. These projects are designed to ensure we adapt to changing climate conditions, meet the needs of communities, and support housing and growth.
We are committed to transparency and accountability. We have robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track our progress and make necessary adjustments. We regularly publish performance reports, engage with communities and stakeholders, and maintain open communication with our customers.
Innovation and technology are at the heart of our strategy. We are exploring the use of smart meters, AI-driven analytics, and other cutting-edge technologies to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer service, and support our environmental goals.
The proposed bill increases will fund essential investments in our infrastructure and services. These investments are crucial for improving water quality, reducing pollution, enhancing customer service, and ensuring the resilience of our water supply in the face of climate change.
To fund some of the investment, we will be raising funds from investors. By attracting investment, we can spread the cost of these essential improvements over a longer period, keeping bills lower for customers. This will mean we can make necessary upgrades now while enabling customers to pay for them gradually.
Investors are allowed a fair return on their investment. This is included in the bills we collect from customers. The level of returns is set by Ofwat, and is similar to the level when savings are deposited in a bank account.
We are developing four new water supply schemes equivalent to 70 million litres per day. This includes developing both the Mendips Quarry and Poole Harbour regional supply schemes and developing and commencing construction of the new Cheddar 2 reservoir . This is in addition to the substantial new water resources currently being developed, such as the South Cornwall desalination plant. We are also taking action to reduce demand, including reducing leakage to less than 10% on our pipes.
Our investment plan will enhance resilience, secure water supplies for the future, and ensure a sustainable future. Our plan includes exciting major projects, including investing in the construction of a new reservoir at Cheddar in Bristol, and the development of water grid to connect strategic reservoirs in the south west. We will continue to develop drought-resistant infrastructure, reduce leakage on the network and at households. We will tackle pollution at every beach by 2030, five years ahead of target. These projects are designed to ensure we adapt to changing climate conditions, meet the needs of communities, and support housing and growth.
We are committed to transparency and accountability. We have robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track our progress and make necessary adjustments. We regularly publish performance reports, engage with communities and stakeholders, and maintain open communication with our customers.
Innovation and technology are at the heart of our strategy. We are exploring the use of smart meters, AI-driven analytics, and other cutting-edge technologies to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer service, and support our environmental goals.
The proposed bill increases will fund essential investments in our infrastructure and services. These investments are crucial for improving water quality, reducing pollution, enhancing customer service, and ensuring the resilience of our water supply in the face of climate change.
To fund some of the investment, we will be raising funds from investors. By attracting investment, we can spread the cost of these essential improvements over a longer period, keeping bills lower for customers. This will mean we can make necessary upgrades now while enabling customers to pay for them gradually.
Investors are allowed a fair return on their investment. This is included in the bills we collect from customers. The level of returns is set by Ofwat, and is similar to the level when savings are deposited in a bank account.
We are developing four new water supply schemes equivalent to 70 million litres per day. This includes developing both the Mendips Quarry and Poole Harbour regional supply schemes and developing and commencing construction of the new Cheddar 2 reservoir . This is in addition to the substantial new water resources currently being developed, such as the South Cornwall desalination plant. We are also taking action to reduce demand, including reducing leakage to less than 10% on our pipes.
Bill rises explained
How increases are set, why and when.
You may have heard about water bill increases. We’ve put together some handy questions and answers, to help you understand why, and let you know how you might get support should you need it.
Latest information on our PR24 business plan
Since submission of our PR24 business plan to Ofwat in October 2023, we have made changes to parts of our plan. These have been in response to requests from Ofwat or other regulators and to clarify some points in our original plan. The result of these changes to date is that Ofwat are now considering a PR24 business plan for South West Water (including Bristol Water) that includes total expenditure of £4,468.792million (down from £4,469.265 million from our October 2023 plan), and average annual customer bills of £596.04 by 2030 (down from £620.52 in our October 2023 plan). We expect Ofwat's draft determinations will be based on this expenditure and these bills.
The main reason for the change to our total expenditure for PR24 and associated average annual customer bills is due minor data alignments between our business plan tables and financial model.
Our business plan tables submitted on 2nd October, already included the Environment Agency’s 18 September 2023 version of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP).
BRL - Calculation of PR24 business plan costs
SWB - Calculation of PR24 business plan costs
BRL PR24 - Business plan tables
SWB PR24 - Business plan tables
Business plan documents
Main documents
Supporting documents and data table commentaries
Strategic plans to 2050
Our strategic direction to 2050
South West Water - Water Resources Management Plan
Bristol Water - Water Resources Management Plan
South West Water Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan
Long-term drinking water quality
Our customer care strategy
Our customer care strategy - customer friendly version
*Our customer care strategy documents were updated as of June 2024.
Main documents
Our strategic priorities
Evidence against quality tests
Supporting documents and data table commentaries
Strategic plans to 2050
Our strategic direction to 2050
South West Water - Water Resources Management Plan
Bristol Water - Water Resources Management Plan
South West Water Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan
Long-term drinking water quality
Our customer care strategy
Our customer care strategy - customer friendly version
*Our customer care strategy documents were updated as of June 2024.
Main documents
Supporting documents and data table commentaries
Strategic plans to 2050
Our strategic direction to 2050
South West Water - Water Resources Management Plan
Bristol Water - Water Resources Management Plan
South West Water Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan
Long-term drinking water quality
Our customer care strategy
Our customer care strategy - customer friendly version
*Our customer care strategy documents were updated as of June 2024.
Our draft determination response
Technical representation
Tables
BRL - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
BRL - RCV adjustment feeder model
BRL - Cost of new debt indexation model
BRL - In period adjustments model
BRL - Developer services reconciliation model
BRL - Strategic regional water reconciliation
BRL - Residential retail reconciliation model
BRL - DD ODI performance model
BRL - WINEP reconciliation model
BRL - Revenue adjustment feeder model
BRL - RPI CPIH wedge true up model
SWB - Developer services reconciliation model
SWB - Green recovery time value of money adjustment model
SWB - Residential retail reconciliation model
SWB - Bioresources revenue reconciliation model
SWB - RCV adjustment feeder model
SWB - WINEP reconciliation model
SWB - In period adjustments model
SWB - Green recovery cost allowance adjustments
SWB - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
SWB - Cost of new debt indexation model
SWB - Strategic regional water reconciliation
SWB - Revenue adjustment feeder model
SWB - RPI CPIH wedge true up model
Strategic priorities
Technical representation
Supporting documents
Tables
BRL - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
BRL - RCV adjustment feeder model
BRL - Cost of new debt indexation model
BRL - In period adjustments model
BRL - Developer services reconciliation model
BRL - Strategic regional water reconciliation
BRL - Residential retail reconciliation model
BRL - DD ODI performance model
BRL - WINEP reconciliation model
BRL - Revenue adjustment feeder model
BRL - RPI CPIH wedge true up model
SWB - Developer services reconciliation model
SWB - Green recovery time value of money adjustment model
SWB - Residential retail reconciliation model
SWB - Bioresources revenue reconciliation model
SWB - RCV adjustment feeder model
SWB - WINEP reconciliation model
SWB - In period adjustments model
SWB - Green recovery cost allowance adjustments
SWB - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
SWB - Cost of new debt indexation model
SWB - Strategic regional water reconciliation
SWB - Revenue adjustment feeder model
SWB - RPI CPIH wedge true up model
Technical representation
Tables
BRL - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
BRL - RCV adjustment feeder model
BRL - Cost of new debt indexation model
BRL - In period adjustments model
BRL - Developer services reconciliation model
BRL - Strategic regional water reconciliation
BRL - Residential retail reconciliation model
BRL - DD ODI performance model
BRL - WINEP reconciliation model
BRL - Revenue adjustment feeder model
BRL - RPI CPIH wedge true up model
SWB - Developer services reconciliation model
SWB - Green recovery time value of money adjustment model
SWB - Residential retail reconciliation model
SWB - Bioresources revenue reconciliation model
SWB - RCV adjustment feeder model
SWB - WINEP reconciliation model
SWB - In period adjustments model
SWB - Green recovery cost allowance adjustments
SWB - Cost sharing total costs reconciliation
SWB - Cost of new debt indexation model
SWB - Strategic regional water reconciliation
SWB - Revenue adjustment feeder model
SWB - RPI CPIH wedge true up model