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Thames Water: Standards

Asked by Dr Roz SavageLiberal DemocratDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 20 October 2025UIN 81074

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the performance of Thames Water’s priority services register during the water supply interruption in (a) Lyneham, (b) Royal Wootton Bassett, (c) Lydiard, (d) Purton, (e) Cricklade and (f) Cirencester on 21 September 2025.

Answered by Emma Hardy

Under the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD), water companies are required to identify and prioritise vulnerable customers when responding to water supply interruption incidents. Defra expects companies to follow Ofwat guidance on priority services registers to meet this requirement.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) regulate water company performance against SEMD requirements.

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