Ofwat consults on how water companies in England and Wales report leakage

Ofwat has held a consultation on how water companies in England and Wales should report leakage in future. It opened on 27 August 2026 and closed on 9 October 2026. Its aim is for reported figures to make full use of the growing amount of smart meter data, so that they are more accurate, consistent and transparent.

Leakage cannot be measured directly. It is estimated from a water balance, which compares the water put into the network with the water delivered and other accounted-for uses. Household use that is not metered is estimated by extrapolating from sample data.

Ofwat says it has no plans to change leakage targets for this price review period. It also proposes that a metering standard be developed in 2026 and 2027, in time for the companies' next business plans (PR29), and that companies already closely aligned with it may be able to implement it from 2030.