- Drinking Water 2025 – Summary of the Chief Inspector’s report for drinking water in England
- Foreword
- Water supplies and testing
- Compliance with water quality standards
- Learning from microbiological failures
- Learning from turbidity failures
- Learning from chemical, taste and odour failures
- Learning from pesticide failures
- Asset health and service reservoir integrity
- Consumer contacts
- Drinking water quality events
- Water safety planning and risk assessment
- Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Audit programme completed by the Inspectorate
- Air valve audits
- Enforcement, transformation and recommendations
- Materials in contact with drinking water (regulation 31)
- Security and Emergency Measures Direction - SEMD
- Network and Information Systems - NIS
- Research publications
- Whistleblowers
- Working with stakeholders
- Annex A – Number of tests carried out by companies
- Annex B – Compliance with standards
- Annex C – Compliance failures and events
Working with stakeholders
The Inspectorate updated and published its Vision and Strategic Objectives 2025-30, setting out its priorities over the next period and into the integrated regulator. We work with a wide range of external organisations, regulators, government departments, professional bodies and academic institutions in the delivery of our strategic objectives (please refer to page 26 onwards of our Business Performance Report for further details of who we work with). Specific updates on collaborative work carried out by the Inspectorate in 2025 are provided below.
Figure 64 – Water Industry stakeholders
Water Reform
The Inspectorate is deeply engaged in the work to reform the sector and create a unitary regulator. We have worked and will continue to work closely with Defra, Welsh Government, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Natural England and Ofwat to deliver a reformed regulatory system which maintains a drinking water supply system with public health protection at its core.
RAPID
This work sits alongside wider efforts to future-proof our water supplies. RAPID (Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) has recently published a series of explainers on the four types of infrastructure needed to meet future demand – reservoirs, water transfers, recycling schemes, and desalination – which together with water reuse paint a picture of a resilient water future for England and Wales.
The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development in Water (RAPID) was established to coordinate development and delivery of large-scale water resources infrastructure schemes, some of which will cross company boundaries, and improve resilience of supplies.
European regulators
The European Network of Drinking Water Regulators (ENDWARE) meets twice a year, hosted by rotating members, to discuss matters concerning drinking water quality. Topics include substances of emerging significance, and compliance with standards. Differing approaches to monitoring, analysis, and mitigation are shared for learning and awareness of best practice. Research findings may also be shared for awareness.
In 2025 the Inspectorate hosted the spring ENDWARE meeting on HMS Belfast in London and was joined by representatives from multiple countries.
Water Safe
The Inspectorate has a six-monthly liaison meeting with Water Safe and works collaboratively on campaigns. This year, we shared information about the illegal use of lead solder on drinking water supplies, and supported a publicity and education campaign for plumbers.