Today, we’ve published a new report based on YouGov polling of more than 6,500 people across Great Britain.
The report reveals a striking contradiction at the heart of public opinion on water. While most people believe the water industry nationally is in trouble, they tend to think their own taps, pipes and rivers are performing better than the wider picture suggests.
The research uses a brand-new polling approach that looks at what customers think about their own water provider, rather than relying solely on general views of the sector. By surveying customers within each provider’s region, it uncovers sharp differences in perceptions between companies – and between national and local experiences.
The report reveals the contradiction that sits at the heart of a deepening reputational problem for the water sector:
- While half (52%) of the public say water supply and management in the UK is in a bad state, people are consistently more positive about the performance of their own water company and local area.
- Just one in ten people (10%) say they trust water companies to tell the truth about themselves, and even the best performing companies are trusted by fewer than one in five of their own customers – pointing to a systemic credibility problem rather than a handful of bad actors.
- Four in ten people (43%) say pollution should be tackled even if it means higher water bills, underlining the importance of visible environmental progress to rebuilding trust.
These findings land as the industry enters its largest ever investment period. But the research suggests that fixing infrastructure alone will not be enough to immediately address the sector’s reputational challenges.
Download the full report here, and if you would like to speak to us further, please contact us here.