---
title: UK water companies AI reputation tracker – September 2026
canonical_url: https://www.omniscan.ai/ai-benchmarks/uk-water-companies
type: dataset
publisher: Omniscan
sector: UK water companies
assistants: ChatGPT, Claude, Google
date_published: '2026-09-02'
last_updated: '2026-09-02'
companies: 15
questions: 5
data_download: https://www.omniscan.ai/ai-benchmarks/uk-water-companies/data.json
summary: Thames Water is named in 63% of AI answers, more than any other water company.
  Among water companies named in at least one answer in five, Wessex Water is described
  most positively (46% of mentions) and Yorkshire Water, Southern Water and Anglian
  Water are described most negatively (100%).
---

# UK water companies AI reputation tracker (September 2026)

> Thames Water is named in 63% of AI answers, more than any other water company. Among water companies named in at least one answer in five, Wessex Water is described most positively (46% of mentions) and Yorkshire Water, Southern Water and Anglian Water are described most negatively (100%).

Interactive version: https://www.omniscan.ai/ai-benchmarks/uk-water-companies

## Which water companies AI names

Share of AI answers that mention each water company.

| Water company | All assistants | ChatGPT | Claude | Google |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Thames Water | 63% | 48% | 80% | 60% |
| Severn Trent | 48% | 28% | 68% | 48% |
| Yorkshire Water | 44% | 28% | 60% | 44% |
| United Utilities | 41% | 32% | 56% | 36% |
| South West Water | 37% | 24% | 48% | 40% |
| Wessex Water | 35% | 32% | 52% | 20% |
| Southern Water | 33% | 36% | 56% | 8% |
| Anglian Water | 25% | 20% | 32% | 24% |
| Northumbrian Water | 17% | 28% | 24% | 0% |
| Bristol Water | 12% | 0% | 20% | 16% |
| Portsmouth Water | 12% | 0% | 20% | 16% |
| Affinity Water | 12% | 4% | 20% | 12% |
| SES Water | 12% | 4% | 20% | 12% |
| Scottish Water | 11% | 20% | 8% | 4% |
| Welsh Water | 9% | 16% | 8% | 4% |

## How AI describes them

Tone of each water company's own mentions in AI answers.

| Water company | Positive | Neutral | Negative | Net tone |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wessex Water | 46% | 4% | 50% | −4 |
| Severn Trent | 28% | 17% | 56% | −28 |
| Northumbrian Water | 23% | 23% | 54% | −31 |
| United Utilities | 6% | 10% | 84% | −78 |
| South West Water | 0% | 7% | 93% | −93 |
| Thames Water | 0% | 2% | 98% | −98 |
| Yorkshire Water | 0% | 0% | 100% | −100 |
| Southern Water | 0% | 0% | 100% | −100 |
| Anglian Water | 0% | 0% | 100% | −100 |

Water companies mentioned too rarely to judge their tone are not listed.

## Who AI singles out, question by question

Shares are of the answers to that question.

- **Which UK water company is the best, and which is the worst?** Most often picked: Severn Trent (60%). Most criticised: Thames Water (87%).
- **Which UK water companies discharge the most sewage into rivers and seas?** Most criticised: United Utilities (93%).
- **Which UK water companies pay the biggest executive bonuses and shareholder dividends?** Most criticised: Thames Water (87%).
- **Can I claim compensation from my water company, or refuse to pay my bill?** No water company is singled out.
- **Should water in England be renationalised?** Most criticised: Thames Water (60%).

## By assistant

- ChatGPT: Thames Water is named most often (48% of its answers).
- Claude: Thames Water is named most often (80% of its answers).
- Google: Thames Water is named most often (60% of its answers).

## Sources AI cites

| Website | Answers citing it |
| --- | --- |
| gov.uk | 43% |
| ofwat.gov.uk | 33% |
| yahoo.com | 25% |
| parliament.uk | 20% |
| theguardian.com | 19% |
| sas.org.uk | 16% |
| ccw.org.uk | 12% |
| aol.com | 12% |

The most-cited water company website is unitedutilities.com (5% of answers).

## Method

5 questions UK customers ask, put repeatedly to ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI Overviews with the United Kingdom as the user's location, 2 September 2026. Naming figures are shares of all answers; tone figures are shares of each water company's own mentions. Recommendations for communications teams and the full PDF report are available on the interactive page.

## How to cite

Omniscan, "UK water companies AI reputation tracker", September 2026. https://www.omniscan.ai/ai-benchmarks/uk-water-companies