South West Water

Name

South West Water

Legal name

South West Water

Website

https://southwestwater.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Pipeline Construction (Mains, Force Mains, Interceptors) (IMAFAGAC)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Sewerage services
• Water supply infrastructure
• Regulated water company

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South West Water is the appointed water and sewerage undertaker for Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Dorset (including Bournemouth Water), providing potable water supply and wastewater collection/treatment to approximately 1.8 million household and business customers. The company operates 23 reservoirs, around 8,700 miles of water mains, 14,332 miles of sewers, and 655 wastewater treatment works, and bills customers through metered and unmetered tariffs set within Ofwat's regulated price-control framework.

Product overview

South West Water provides essential water and wastewater services to homes and businesses across Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Somerset. The company's core offering is its water supply and sewage treatment infrastructure, supported by customer-facing digital services including MyAccount (online account management), WaterFit Live (interactive mapping platform for real-time storm overflow and bathing water quality data), and Priority Services (vulnerability support including BSL interpretation). The Upstream Thinking Programme works with farmers on nature-based solutions, while the Turning the Tide Programme represents a £760m infrastructure investment to reduce storm overflows. Strategic planning products include the Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (25-year wastewater strategy) and Water Resources Management Plan (25-year water supply strategy). The company operates 23 reservoirs, manages 14,332 miles of sewers, and treats 585 megalitres of sewage daily across 655 wastewater treatment works.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced storm overflow spills by 93% at Rilla Mill in Cornwall (from 293 spills in 2023 to 19 in 2024)
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• HomeServeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHomeServe provides plumbing and drainage cover as a partner offering. South West Water customers can access HomeServe's plumbing and drainage cover services at preferential rates (£1 per month in first year), offering additional service options beyond core water utility services.
• Ofwat Innovation Fund - Water Breakthrough ChallengecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth West Water is partnering on seven pioneering innovation projects funded through the Ofwat Innovation Fund's sixth Water Breakthrough Challenge. Projects explore new technologies, data and nature-based solutions to improve river health, reduce pollution, strengthen resilience and support lower-carbon future.
• Open Catchment Intelligence, Insights and Integration (OCI³)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI-powered tools to identify pollution risks and improve understanding of river catchments - part of Ofwat Innovation Fund project portfolio.
• MycofiltrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrialling fungi-based filtration systems to remove pollutants from water - innovative nature-based solution project.
• Smart WatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsing satellite technology to detect emerging risks to water quality - part of innovation portfolio.
• I'm a P-LeaverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExploring new ways to remove phosphorus and PFAS from wastewater and agricultural run-off.
• Smart Alarm ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsing AI to improve how operational alarms are managed during incidents.
• SI12 ChallengeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestigating lower-carbon and less disruptive approaches to renewing water infrastructure.
• Splitting Biogas, Multiplying ValueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExploring how wastewater biogas can be converted into hydrogen and graphene.
• South West Peatland PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth West Water is a funder and lead partner organisation of the South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP), working across Dartmoor, Exmoor, Bodmin Moor and West Penwith to restore valuable peatlands. Partnership has restored 5,000 hectares of peatland.
• Environment AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on practical solutions to flooding, Flood Action Week campaigns, and regulatory oversight of water quality and storm overflows.
• Here Now FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCornwall-based film company commissioned to produce 'The Living Layer', an 11-minute film celebrating peatlands and restoration efforts.
• West Country Water Resources GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with other water companies regarding water transfers between companies.
• Amplify Engineering AlliancecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNew engineering alliance bringing together some of the country's best engineering experts to reduce the use of storm overflows and help maintain the region's excellent bathing waters. Delivers the Turning the Tide programme.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wessex Water: Regulated water and wastewater utility serving the Wessex region. Comparable on regional scale, Ofwat regulatory framework, and wastewater-led capex priorities, and is owned by a similar long-tenured infrastructure investor (YTL/formerly Macquarie).
• Southern Water: Regulated water and wastewater utility serving the South East. Closely comparable on coastal/tourism geography, drought exposure, storm overflow scrutiny, and wastewater-led investment drivers, making it a relevant regional comp for SWW's southern coastal operating profile.
• Yorkshire Water: Regulated water and wastewater utility serving Yorkshire. Comparable on regulatory framework, scale of recent capex, and wastewater compliance challenges, making it a useful benchmark for operational and PR outcomes.
• Northumbrian Water: Regulated water and wastewater utility serving the North East. Comparable on Ofwat regime, AMP investment cycle, and integrated catchment management approach — similar in scope, if smaller in geography.
• Severn Trent plc: Listed UK water and wastewater utility regulated by Ofwat, serving the Midlands. Closest direct peer in business model, regulatory framework, and scale of investment programme, with a similarly large capex cycle and stormwater/overflow reduction commitments.
• Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water: Not-for-profit regulated water and wastewater utility serving Wales. Comparable on UK regulated water utility model and environmental performance benchmarks, although its ownership structure differs materially from SWW's.
• Thames Water Utilities: Largest UK water and wastewater utility serving London and the Thames Valley. Directly comparable on regulatory regime, environmental programme (including storm overflow reduction), and capital intensity, although operationally and financially much larger.
• Anglian Water: Private-equity-owned regulated water and wastewater utility in the East of England. Comparable on private ownership structure, drought and resilience challenges, and the scale of its recent AMP investment programme.
• United Utilities Group plc: Largest listed UK water-only and wastewater group serving the North West. Directly comparable on regulated monopoly structure, RAV-driven returns, and record AMP capex, and is often benchmarked against SWW's Pennon Group parent on PR outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Pennon Group plc: Listed parent of South West Water and the broader Pennon environmental infrastructure group. Most directly comparable on consolidated RAV, gearing, dividend policy, and Ofwat determination outcomes, and the primary equity vehicle through which SWW's value is realised.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SouthWestWater
• Facebookfacebook.com/SWWater.Official

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South West Water