PUBLIC trust in the UK's water companies is at an all-time low, an annual survey has shown.

The annual survey Water Matters, from the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), reveals trust in water companies has reached a 13-year low, amid falling customer satisfaction.

Among the most significant falls this year has been customer satisfaction with sewerage services, which slipped to an all-time low of 65 per cent (down 14 per cent) – driven by dissatisfaction with how companies clean and dispose of wastewater.

Every water company saw its trust score fall, with energy suppliers overtaking water for the first time as a more trusted utility across England and Wales.

Customers were asked to what extent they trust their water company on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being ‘do not trust them at all’ and 10 being ‘trust them completely’.

Northumbrian Water scored 6.90 in 2023 and this has decreased by -0.91 since last year. 

Satisfaction with the business's general level of customer service was 73 per cent in 2023 and has dropped 10 per cent since last year.