Restore trust. Strengthen transparency. Unlock better outcomes.
Based on research conducted between January and May 2026, this report combines:
- Contributions from 40+ senior water sector stakeholders
- Interviews with utilities, regulators and industry experts
- Quantitative and qualitative analysis of current capabilities and challenges
Public trust in water companies is at a historic low, driven by environmental concerns, rising bills, and increased scrutiny.
At the same time, regulators and government are pushing for a fundamental shift toward open monitoring, a new model of near real-time, publicly accessible environmental and operational data.
This exclusive report explores what that transformation really means for the water sector.
What you’ll learn inside the report
- Why open monitoring is becoming essential: The regulatory, environmental and public pressures reshaping the sector.
- What’s next after operator self-monitoring: Why legacy approaches are no longer enough, and what comes next
- How open monitoring can be successfully implemented: From sensor networks and data infrastructure to governance and standards
- The biggest challenges organisations must overcome: Including data quality, cost, misinterpretation risk and security concerns
- What success looks like: How transparency, done right, can rebuild trust and improve environmental outcomes
A sector at a turning point
- Only 35% of customers are satisfied with environmental protection efforts
- 1 in 5 companies have full network visibility
- 7 in 10 see monitoring reform as key to rebuilding trust
- Trust in water companies has fallen significantly in recent years
- Regulators are calling for greater digitisation, automation and transparency
Open monitoring is emerging as a critical pathway forward, but getting it wrong could damage trust even further.
Why this matters
Open monitoring is more than a technology upgrade.
It represents a system-wide transformation in how the water sector:
- Collects and shares data
- Demonstrates accountability
- Engages with customers and stakeholders
- Makes operational decisions
Solving the open monitoring challenge
To succeed, organisations must address critical questions:
- How can data be made accurate, consistent and understandable?
- Where should monitoring be prioritised across complex networks?
- How can organisations balance transparency with security?
- Who should own and manage open data platforms?
- How can insight, not just data, be delivered at scale?
About the report
This report is produced by Utility Week Intelligence, in partnership with Arqiva, and is based on independent research across the UK water sector.