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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-and-sewerage-companies-in-england-environmental-performance-report-2023/united-utilities-epa-data-report-2023
This report provides company specific data and information on the Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) metrics. It contains current year and historic performance data (as published at the time, based on data provided in part by the water companies). For further information on what each EPA metric and performance star ratings mean see our EPA metric guide.
In addition to the EPA metrics, this report contains a section on event duration monitoring (EDM) of storm overflows. For a comparison between water companies and wider regulatory information see the Environmental performance of the water and sewerage companies in 2023 report.
We set targets for each EPA metric. Company performance is then given a red, amber or green (RAG) status:
red – significantly below target
amber – below target
green – achieved target or better
We review and revise thresholds every 5 years.
1. EPA metric status and performance star rating
Main facts
For 2023:
red status for 0 metrics, amber status for 1 metric and green status for 6 metrics
1 of 3 companies (out of 9) rated as industry leading (4 stars)
Annual performance star rating after assessment of United Utilities’ performance across all EPA metrics
Year
Overall EPA star rating (out of 4)
Star rating description
2011
3 stars
Above average company
2012
3 stars
Above average company
2013
3 stars
Above average company
2014
3 stars
Above average company
2015
4 stars
Industry leading company
2016
4 stars
Industry leading company
2017
4 stars
Industry leading company
2018
3 stars
Good company
2019
3 stars
Good company
2020
4 stars
Industry leading company
2021
4 stars
Industry leading company
2022
3 stars
Good company
2023
4 stars
Industry leading company
Annual percentage of red, amber or green (RAG) status EPA metric results for United Utilities
Graph note: there were 6 EPA metrics in the years 2011 to 2015 and 2018 to 2021. There were 7 EPA metrics in the years 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023.
Annual number of EPA metrics and their RAG status results for United Utilities
Year
Number of metrics in EPA
Number of red metrics
Number of amber metrics
Number of green metrics
2011
6
0
3
3
2012
6
0
2
4
2013
6
0
2
4
2014
6
0
2
4
2015
6
0
1
5
2016
7
0
1
6
2017
7
0
1
6
2018
6
0
2
4
2019
6
0
2
4
2020
6
0
0
6
2021
6
0
1
5
2022
7
0
1
6
2023
7
0
1
6
2. Total pollution incidents (sewerage) metric (category 1 to 3)
Main facts
For 2023:
28 sewerage pollution incidents per 10,000km of sewer – this is rated as amber
216 actual incidents (needed 166 or fewer to be rated as green)
77,339km sewer length
performance was better than the sector (36) for sewerage pollution incidents per 10,000km of sewer
1 of 6 companies (out of 9) to be rated amber, no companies rated green
Annual number of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) from United Utilities sewerage assets, with EPA status
2011 to 2015 data
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
EPA status
amber
amber
green
green
green
Incidents per 10,000km sewer
72
74
48
49
40
Actual incident numbers
315
324
208
214
175
2016 to 2020 data
Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
EPA status
green
green
green
amber
green
Incidents per 10,000km sewer
22
23
24
28
19
Actual incident numbers
172
169
181
205
143
2021 to 2025 data
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
EPA status
green
green
amber
no data
no data
Incidents per 10,000km sewer
18
16
28
no data
no data
Actual incident numbers
137
126
216
no data
no data
Annual number of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) from United Utilities sewerage assets, also showing EPA status and thresholds
Graph note: the EPA RAG status thresholds are set for normalised (per 10,000km sewer) numbers of sewerage incidents (see our EPA metric guide). We review and revise thresholds every 5 years. Equivalent thresholds for actual incident numbers are calculated using water company sewer length data – these are shown in the graph background and the table below.
EPA thresholds for actual number of United Utilities sewerage incidents for the calendar years 2011 to 2025
Calendar year
Red status
Amber status
Green status
2011 to 2015
565 or above
221 to 564
220 or below
2016
386 or above
199 to 385
198 or below
2017 to 2020
368 or above
190 to 367
189 or below
2021
321 or above
182 to 320
181 or below
2022
306 or above
175 to 305
174 or below
2023
291 or above
167 to 290
166 or below
2024
283 or above
159 to 282
158 or below
2025
267 or above
151 to 266
150 or below
Number of pollution incidents (total category 1 to 3) from United Utilities Water sewerage and water supply assets in 2023
Asset type
Number of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3)
Combined sewer overflow
9
Foul sewer
55
Other water industry premises
3
Pumping station
63
Rising main
12
Sewage treatment works
74
Storm tank
0
Surface water outfall
0
Water distribution system (water supply)
21
Water treatment works (water supply)
6
Note: water distribution system and water treatment works (both water supply assets) are not part of the EPA total pollution incidents (sewerage) metric.
Number of pollution incidents (total and breakdown of categories 1 to 3) from United Utilities Water sewerage and water supply assets in 2023
Asset type
Category 1 to 3
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Combined sewer overflow
9
0
0
9
Foul sewer
55
0
0
55
Other water industry premises
3
0
0
3
Pumping station
63
0
0
63
Rising main
12
0
0
12
Sewage treatment works
74
1
0
73
Storm tank
0
0
0
0
Surface water outfall
0
0
0
0
Water distribution system (water supply)
21
0
0
21
Water treatment works (water supply)
6
0
0
6
3. Serious pollution incidents (sewerage and water supply) metric (category 1 and 2)
Main facts
For 2023:
1 serious incident – this is rated as green (needed 2 or fewer to be rated as green)
1 serious incident from sewerage assets
0 serious incidents from water supply assets
1 of 4 companies (out of 9) to be rated green
Annual number of serious pollution incidents (category 1 and 2) from United Utilities assets (sewerage and from 2021 including water supply), with EPA status
2011 to 2015 data
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
EPA status
green
green
green
green
green
Serious incidents per 10,000km sewer
0.7
1.1
1.1
0.5
1.2
Actual serious incident numbers – sewerage
3
5
5
2
5
2016 to 2020 data
Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
EPA status
green
green
green
green
green
Serious incidents per 10,000km sewer
0.4
0.1
0.1
0
0
Actual serious incident numbers – sewerage
3
1
1
0
0
2021 to 2025 data
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
EPA status
green
green
green
no data
no data
Serious incident numbers – all assets
1
0
1
no data
no data
Serious incident numbers – sewerage
1
0
1
no data
no data
Serious incident numbers – water supply
0
0
0
no data
no data
Annual number of serious pollution incidents (category 1 and 2) from United Utilities assets (sewerage and from 2021 including water supply), also showing EPA status and thresholds
Graph note: for 2011 to 2020 EPA RAG status thresholds were set for normalised (per 10,000km sewer) numbers of serious sewerage incidents (see our EPA metric guide). Equivalent thresholds for actual serious sewerage incident numbers were calculated using water company sewer length data. We review and revise thresholds every 5 years. For 2021 to 2025 water companies are in one of two groups with different thresholds set for actual serious sewerage and water supply incident numbers. The thresholds for actual serious incident numbers are shown in the graph background and the table below.
EPA thresholds for number of serious incidents from United Utilities assets (sewerage and from 2021 including water supply) for the calendar years 2011 to 2025
Calendar year
Red status
Amber status
Green status
2011 to 2015
18 or above
7 to 17
6 or below
2016
12 or above
5 to 11
4 or below
2017 to 2020
11 or above
5 to 10
4 or below
2021 and 2022
6 or above
4 or 5
3 or below
2023 and 2024
5 or above
3 or 4
2 or below
2025
4 or above
2 or 3
1 or 0
Number of serious pollution incidents (category 1 and 2) from United Utilities sewerage and water supply assets in 2023
Asset type
Number of serious pollution incidents (category 1 and 2)
Combined sewer overflow
0
Foul sewer
0
Other water industry premises
0
Pumping station
0
Rising main
0
Sewage treatment works
1
Storm tank
0
Surface water outfall
0
Water distribution system (water supply)
0
Water treatment works (water supply)
0
4. Self-reporting of pollution incidents (sewerage and water supply) metric
Main facts
For 2023:
94% of all incidents self-reported, 96% from just pumping stations (PS) and sewage treatment works (STW) combined – this is rated as green
229 self-reported incidents, 14 incidents reported by others
performance was better than the sector (84%) for self-reporting of all pollution incidents
performance was better than the sector (93%) for self-reporting of just PS and STW pollution incidents combined
1 of 6 companies (out of 9) to be rated green
Annual self-reporting of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) from United Utilities sewerage and water supply assets, with EPA rating
2011 to 2015 data
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
EPA status
green
green
green
green
green
Percentage of incidents self-reported
71
76
69
75
81
Number of incidents self-reported
229
253
155
175
163
2016 to 2020 data
Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
EPA status
green
green
green
green
green
Percentage of incidents self-reported
75
82
79
90
82
Number of incidents self-reported
144
151
154
194
119
2021 to 2025 data
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
EPA status
amber
green
green
no data
no data
Percentage of incidents self-reported
81
88
94
no data
no data
Number of incidents self-reported
118
138
229
no data
no data
Percentage of PS and STW incidents self-reported
87
90
96
no data
no data
Number of PS and STW incidents self-reported
66
46
132
no data
no data
Annual self-reporting of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) from United Utilities sewerage and water supply assets, also showing EPA status and thresholds
Graph note: the EPA RAG status thresholds (for all sewerage and water supply assets) are shown in the graph background and in the EPA metric guide. We review and revise thresholds every 5 years. From 2021 the additional number in brackets is the self-reporting percentage for just PS and STW incidents combined. To achieve green status self-reporting for all assets must be 80% or above and for just STW and PS combined must be 90% or above.
Self-reporting of pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) from United Utilities sewerage and water supply assets in 2023
Asset type
Number of pollution incidents self-reported (category 1 to 3)
Number of pollution incidents not self-reported (category 1 to 3)
Combined sewer overflow
9
0
Foul sewer
49
6
Other water industry premises
3
0
Pumping station
61
2
Rising main
12
0
Sewage treatment works
71
3
Storm tank
0
0
Surface water outfall
0
0
Water distribution system (water supply)
19
2
Water treatment works (water supply)
5
1
Self-reporting of serious pollution incidents (category 1 to 2) from United Utilities sewerage and water supply assets in 2023
Asset type
Number of serious pollution incidents self-reported (category 1 to 2)
Number of serious pollution incidents not self-reported (category 1 to 2)
Combined sewer overflow
0
0
Foul sewer
0
0
Other water industry premises
0
0
Pumping station
0
0
Rising main
0
0
Sewage treatment works
1
0
Storm tank
0
0
Surface water outfall
0
0
Water distribution system (water supply)
0
0
Water treatment works (water supply)
0
0
5. Discharge permit compliance (numeric) metric
Main facts
For 2023:
99.0% numeric discharge permit compliance – this is rated as green
14 permitted discharge outlets from water treatment works (WTW) – 100% compliance (0 non-compliant WTW)
performance was better than the sector (98.8%) for numeric discharge permit compliance
1 of 6 companies (out of 9) to be rated green
Annual discharge permit compliance (numeric) for United Utilities (STW and from 2016 includes WTW), with EPA status
2011 to 2015 data
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
EPA status
amber
green
amber
amber
amber
Percentage permit compliance
98.6
99.2
98.6
98.3
97.2
Number of permitted discharge outlets from STW
360
359
359
360
358
Number of non-compliant STW
5
3
5
6
10
2016 to 2020 data
Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
EPA status
amber
amber
amber
amber
green
Percentage permit compliance
97.4
98.8
98.7
98.5
99.7
Number of permitted discharge outlets from STW
369
374
370
372
377
Number of permitted discharge outlets from WTW
50
30
26
20
20
Number of non-compliant STW
7
4
4
6
0
Number of non-compliant WTW
4
1
1
0
1
2021 to 2025 data
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
EPA status
green
amber
green
no data
no data
Percentage permit compliance
99.0
98.5
99.0
no data
no data
Number of permitted discharge outlets from STW
375
374
374
no data
no data
Number of permitted discharge outlets from WTW
16
14
14
no data
no data
Number of non-compliant STW
3
6
4
no data
no data
Percentage compliance STW
99.2
98.4
98.9
no data
no data
Number of non-compliant WTW
1
0
0
no data
no data
Percentage compliance WTW
93.8
100
100
no data
no data
Annual discharge permit compliance (numeric) for United Utilities (STW and from 2016 includes WTW), also showing EPA status and thresholds
Graph note: the EPA RAG status thresholds are shown in the graph background and in the EPA metric guide. We review and revise thresholds every 5 years.
6. Delivery of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) metric
Main facts
For the financial year ending 2024 (cumulative progress years 1 to 4 of the WINEP):
100% EPA schemes completed within planned deadlines – this is rated as green
446 EPA schemes completed within planned deadlines
performance was better than the sector (99.2%)
1 of 6 companies (out of 9) to be rated green
all 284 non-EPA WINEP schemes completed within planned deadlines
Annual delivery of the NEP (WINEP from April 2020) by United Utilities, with EPA rating
Data for financial years ending 2012 to 2016
Financial year ending
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Asset Management Plan (AMP)
AMP5
AMP5
AMP5
AMP5
AMP6
EPA status
green
green
green
amber
green
Percentage of NEP complete to date (cumulative)
101
101
104
97
100
Cumulative number of schemes completed during AMP period
93
150
193
256
8
Data for financial years ending 2017 to 2021
Financial year ending
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Asset Management Plan (AMP)
AMP6
AMP6
AMP6
AMP6
AMP7
EPA status
green
green
amber
green
green
Percentage of NEP complete to date (cumulative)
100
100
98.6
99.7
100
Cumulative number of schemes completed during AMP period
63
106
162
290
5
Data for financial years ending 2022 to 2026
Financial year ending
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Asset Management Plan (AMP)
AMP7
AMP7
AMP7
AMP7
AMP8
EPA status
green
green
green
no data
no data
Percentage of WINEP complete within deadlines (to date)
100
100
100
no data
no data
Cumulative number of schemes completed during AMP period
208
316
446
no data
no data
Cumulative number of water quality schemes completed during AMP period
190
294
421
no data
no data
Cumulative number of water resources schemes completed during AMP period
10
13
15
no data
no data
Cumulative number of fisheries, biodiversity and geomorphology schemes completed during AMP period
8
9
10
no data
no data
Table note: AMP5 schemes that were completed early before their planned year were included in the cumulative delivery percentage (in some cases resulting in percentages over 100%). AMP6 and AMP7 schemes that were completed early before their planned year are not included in the cumulative delivery percentage until their planned year (cannot report over 100%). The EPA RAG status thresholds are in the EPA metric guide. We review and revise thresholds every 5 years.
7. Sludge disposal and use metric
Main facts
For 2023:
100% satisfactory sludge disposal and use – this is rated as green
102,600t (tonnes dry solid) total volume dispatched
19,581ha (hectares) land used for spreading
99.5% of sludge produced was used in agriculture
1 of 5 companies (out of 9) to report 100% satisfactory sludge disposal and use – all companies rated green
Annual compliance with sludge disposal and use metric by United Utilities, with EPA ratings
2011 to 2015 data
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
EPA status
amber
amber
amber
green
green
Percentage of sludge compliant
99.1
99.2
99.9
100
100
Total volume of sludge dispatched (t thousands dry solid)
191.9
145.6
111.1
106.1
99.1
2016 to 2020 data
Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
EPA status
green
green
no data
no data
no data
Percentage of sludge compliant
100
100
no data
no data
no data
Total volume of sludge dispatched (t thousands dry solid)
98.2
112.7
112.1
113.0
116.8
2021 to 2025 data
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
EPA status
no data
green
green
no data
no data
Percentage of sludge compliant
no data
98.93
100
no data
no data
Total volume of sludge dispatched (t thousands dry solid)
99.6
101.1
102.6
no data
no data
Table note: for the 2018 to 2021 calendar years, we suspended the metric from the EPA whilst we reviewed our regulatory regime for sludge. The EPA RAG status thresholds are in the EPA metric guide.
Annual summary of sewage sludge disposal and use (dry matter) by United Utilities
Note that data in this section includes some sludge that was dispatched and used in agriculture on land in Wales, regulated by Natural Resources Wales.
8. Supply Demand Balance Index (SDBI) metric
Main facts
For the financial year ending 2024:
SDBI of 100 – this is rated as green
4 water resource zones
1,834 megalitres per day water distributed into the network – above forecast
1 of 9 companies (out of 9) to be rated green
Annual compliance with SDBI by United Utilities, with EPA ratings
Financial year ending
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
EPA status
green
green
green
no data
no data
SDBI score
100
100
100
no data
no data
Table note: the EPA RAG status thresholds are in the EPA metric guide.
9. Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) delivery
We have published the EDM storm overflow annual return dataset received from water companies. This shows how often and how long the monitored storm overflows operated during 2023. The 2023 dataset also includes water company reasons for performance issues with monitors and reasons for high spill counts.
United Utilities storm overflows
Year
2023
Total number of active storm overflows listed in the annual return
2,255
Total number of active storm overflows with EDM commissioned
2,255
Percentage of active storm overflows listed with EDM commissioned
100
Total number of storm overflows with spill data
2,147
Percentage of storm overflows listed with spill data
94.8
Average number of spills per storm overflow with spill data
45.4
Average duration (hours) per monitored spill event
6.7
Percentage storm overflows with ≥90% EDM operation during reporting period
