0344 346 1010

Accounts helpline (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm)

0344 346 2020

24/7 emergency helpline

£522

Average annual bill (2022–2023)

1.7m+

People served in South West England

What Areas Does South West Water Cover?

South West Water is the regulated water and sewerage company for the south west of England, covering Cornwall, Devon and parts of Dorset and Somerset, including the Isles of Scilly. The company is owned by the UK-based Pennon Group, making it one of the few water suppliers in England and Wales still under British ownership rather than held by overseas investors.

Because the supply boundary overlaps with Wessex Water in parts of Dorset and Somerset, it is always worth confirming your supplier before calling. A quick postcode check via the Water UK supplier lookup will tell you which company bills you for clean water and which handles wastewater at your address.

South West Water Login (MyAccount)

The South West Water MyAccount portal is the fastest way to manage your water supply without phoning the accounts team. Once logged in you can view your current balance and any amounts owed, pay bills, access previous bills and payments, manage payment methods, update address information and apply for a water meter.

To register you need your 8-digit customer number (printed on a recent bill), your postcode, surname, contact number and an email address. You will then create a password and pick whether you want paper or paperless billing. If you forget your password, use the reset link sent to the email address registered on the account.

What You Need to Register

  • 8-digit customer number (from a recent bill)
  • Postcode
  • Surname
  • Contact phone number
  • Email address
  • A password of your choice
  • Your billing preference - paper or paperless

Billing & Payments

View your current balance, pay bills online, access previous bills and manage your payment methods.

Meter Applications

Apply for a free water meter and submit meter readings to avoid estimated bills.

Address Updates

Update your correspondence address or report a home move within the supply area.

Password Recovery

Reset a forgotten password using the recovery link sent to your registered email address.

South West Water Contact Numbers

South West Water runs separate phone lines for billing, emergencies, leaks, meter installations and new connections so that urgent supply issues are never stuck behind routine account queries. Picking the right number first time avoids long hold times - the accounts helpline is busiest around quarterly bill runs and on Monday mornings.

03 numbers are charged at local landline rate and are usually included in mobile and landline call allowances, while 0800 numbers are free from UK landlines and mobiles. If you have no water, a burst main or sewage flooding, always use the 24/7 emergency line on 0344 346 2020 rather than the daytime billing number.

South West Water Phone Numbers

South West Water phone numbers and opening hours
South West Water Team Phone Number Opening Times
Accounts Helpline0344 346 1010Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm
Automated Payment Line0800 230 075024/7
Emergency Helpline0344 346 202024/7
Leaks0800 230 056124/7
Meter Installation0800 083 430124/7
New Connections0800 083 182124/7
Minicom0800 169 996524/7

Source: South West Water published contact details. 03 numbers are charged at standard UK landline rate; 0800 numbers are free from landlines and mobiles.

Live Chat & Social Media

South West Water offers a live chat via the Message Us link on their website, and runs two Twitter/X accounts: @SouthWestWater for news and service updates, and @SWWHelp for customer support queries. For genuine emergencies, always call the 24-hour line rather than wait for a social media response.

South West Water Pay Bill

South West Water bills can be paid through several channels. Direct Debit is usually the cheapest and most convenient option, spreading the annual bill into manageable instalments and protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. Customers who prefer to settle bills manually can pay online, by phone, at a Post Office, by bank transfer or by post.

Always quote your 10-digit customer reference number when paying outside Direct Debit, otherwise the payment may not be credited to the right account and could trigger unnecessary reminder letters.

Payment Methods

  1. Online via MyAccount - pay with Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Cirrus cards and choose your own payment date.
  2. Direct Debit - automatic monthly or half-yearly deductions, protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
  3. Automated phone line on 0800 230 0750 (24/7) with debit or credit card details.
  4. Post Office - pay by cash or cheque using the payment slip printed on your bill.
  5. Bank transfer to sort code 30-00-00, account number 02397455, using your 10-digit customer reference.
  6. By post - cheque sent to the address below.

Postal Payment Address

Cheques should be made payable to South West Water with your customer reference written on the back and sent to:

South West Water
PO Box 4762
Worthing
BN11 9NT

How Much Is the Average South West Water Bill?

South West Water customers saw their average annual bill fall by £31 between 2021–2022 and 2022–2023, largely thanks to a reduction in wastewater charges. The average total household bill for 2022–2023 was £522 per year, which works out at roughly £43.50 per month.

South West Water average annual bill 2021–2023
Service 2021–2022 2022–2023
Water£223£218
Sewerage£330£304
Total£553£522

Source: South West Water published average household bill figures for 2021–2022 and 2022–2023.

Unlike energy, water customers cannot switch supplier - your supply area is fixed. The main lever for reducing bills is installing a water meter and managing consumption carefully, especially if you have fewer occupants than bedrooms.

South West Water Problems and Complaints

If something goes wrong with your South West Water service or bill, there is a clear four-step escalation process. Most complaints are resolved at the first stage, but the route beyond the company exists so disputes do not drag on indefinitely.

  1. Step 1 - Contact South West Water using any of the channels above. Written complaints are recommended and should be raised within 12 weeks of the issue.
  2. Step 2 - Escalate internally if the first response is not satisfactory; the case will be reviewed by management.
  3. Step 3 - Consumer Council for Water (CCW) - if the complaint remains unresolved after 8 weeks, contact the Consumer Council for Water for official intervention.
  4. Step 4 - Water Redress Scheme (WATRS) - as a final resort, once all previous steps have been exhausted, refer the case to WATRS for independent adjudication.

South West Water Meters

South West Water operates in a water-stressed area as identified by the Environment Agency in 2021, with the Isles of Scilly particularly affected. As a result the company may carry out compulsory water meter installations in some parts of the region to monitor consumption and reduce losses from undetected leaks.

For most households a meter is still optional and can be requested free of charge through MyAccount. Metered tariffs tend to work out cheaper for homes with fewer occupants than bedrooms; if after fitting you decide the bill is higher than on the unmetered tariff, you can typically revert within a trial period.

How to Read Your Meter

  1. Locate the meter - usually in an outdoor chamber near the property boundary, or indoors under the kitchen sink.
  2. Lift the cover (a flathead screwdriver may be needed for outdoor chambers).
  3. Check the serial number on the meter matches the one printed on your South West Water bill.
  4. Record only the black digits, which measure cubic metres - ignore the red figures showing fractions.
  5. Submit the reading through MyAccount or by phone on 0344 346 1010.

South West Water FAQ

The South West Water accounts helpline is 0344 346 1010 (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm). For water supply or sewerage emergencies call 0344 346 2020 24/7, and to pay a bill by card phone the free automated line on 0800 230 0750.

South West Water is owned by the UK-based Pennon Group, making it one of the few water suppliers in England and Wales that is still under British ownership rather than held by overseas investors.

You can submit a meter reading through your South West Water MyAccount online, or by phone on 0344 346 1010. Only record the black digits on the meter, which measure cubic metres used, and ignore the red figures showing fractions.

The average South West Water household bill for 2022–2023 was £522 per year (£218 water and £304 sewerage), which works out at roughly £43.50 per month. That was £31 less than the previous year.

You can pay a South West Water bill via Direct Debit, online through MyAccount (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Cirrus), by phone on 0800 230 0750, by bank transfer to sort code 30-00-00 account 02397455, at a Post Office, or by cheque posted to PO Box 4762, Worthing BN11 9NT.

Start by contacting South West Water directly in writing within 12 weeks of the issue. If it is not resolved after 8 weeks, escalate to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), and as a final resort refer the case to the Water Redress Scheme (WATRS). Do not contact Ofwat - it only handles anti-competitive behaviour, not individual disputes.

Useful Water Guides

If you want to go further than the South West Water account process, our other water guides cover suppliers across the UK and explain how bills, meters and charges are set. They are a good starting point if you are moving between regions or want a clearer view of your bill.