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Can I request environmental information from my water company?

We publish a large amount of environmental information and will continue to add to this. Much of this information is available on this website, and we'd be pleased if you took the time to read it here.

Request information
background

What type of environmental information requests (EIR) can I make?

You're entitled to request environmental information that we hold. We'll then respond to your request in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. The Information Commissioner's Office has published guidance on the type of information you can request and what requests we may refuse.

In brief, the regulations cover any environmental information that we hold. This can include things like land development, pollution levels, energy production, and waste management.

There is further guidance on the Information Commissioner's Office website and, of course, we follow their guidance as appropriate 

Our EIR performance
An aerial view of Weir Wood Reservoir

Readily available information

Water levels

Here you can view the latest information about our groundwater, reservoir and river water levels.

Find out more

Pollution reporting

Here you find more information about how we report pollution incidents, how they are categorised and our latest figures.

Find out more

Flow and spills reporting

Here you can find the latest figures for flow and spills. This refers to the amount of treated wastewater that leaves our works and our use of storm overflows.

Find out more

Drinking water standards

Learn more about where your water comes from and how we ensure drinking water standards.

Find out more

Annual reporting

Here you can read and download our latest annual performance and financial reports. This includes our Annual Performance Report and bioresources information.

Find out more

Our plans

Here you can access our business plans. This includes water resources and drainage and wastewater management plans, pollution incident reduction and our net zero goal.

Find out more

Bathing water results

Here you can find an overview of our latest bathing water results. Or, you can also download our annual bathing water quality report.

Find out more

Water quality checker

Enter your postcode to check if your water is hard or soft and other information about your supply. Download a full water quality report.

Find out more

Request environmental information

Please fill out this form with specific details about the environmental information from Southern Water you'd like to request so that we can respond to you quickly. 

You can also make a request in one of the following ways:

Please tell us how you would like us to reply (e.g. by letter or email) and in what format.

Request environmental information

Please add as much information as possible

EIR Performance

We’re happy to share how we’re performing in our response to environmental information requests. By publishing our performance, our aim is to demonstrate our commitment to openness and transparency, as well as our efforts to manage requests in line with The Environmental Information Regulations 2004. 

Information correct as at 4 February 2025

Data to collect Jan - Mar '24 Apr - June '24 July - Sept '24 Oct - Dec ' 24 Total
Total requests received 220 183 161 171 735
Total open requests 0 0 0 0 0
Total of open requests with permitted extensions – public interest test 0 0 0 0 0
Total of open requests with permitted extensions – complex and voluminous 0 0 0 0 0
Total requests closed 220 183 161 169 733
Total requests closed within statutory timescale 156 107 108 141 512
Total requests closed with a permitted extension 64 75 53 30 222
Total requests closed outside statutory timescale 3 1 0 0 4
Total closed requests where information was granted in full 200 155 149 143 647
Total closed requests where information was withheld in full 8 8 2 4 22
Total closed requests where information was partially provided 12 20 10 22 64
Total internal reviews received 1 2 5 4 12
Total requests with a stopped clock for clarification 11 10 11 12 44
Total requests with a paused clock for fees notice 0 0 0 0 0
Average days to respond (days) 18.8 25.2 25.9 23.3 23.3

Next data update due 04/25

Frequently asked questions

We'll normally charge £24 for each hour of employee time spent on your request. We'll also charge 10p for every sheet of paper we need to print or copy as well as the cost of first-class postage if you ask for the information to be provided in this format. For large-scale or complex requests, we may ask for some or all payment of our charges in advance or by payment in stages.

We won't ask for payment if the information is held by us in a readily available form and/or if is unlikely to take us an hour to respond to your request. We may waive some or all of our charges in other circumstances where this is reasonable.

We'll send you a response as soon as possible and normally no later than 20 working days after receiving your request.

We aim to respond appropriately to your request, and certainly in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations. If you feel that we haven't done this in your case, please in the first instance let our team who responded to you know, so that they can check our actions.

If you're dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within forty working days of the date of receipt of the response to your request. This should be addressed to Head of Legal, Southern Water Services Ltd, Southern House, Yeoman Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3NX. Or, you can also email EIR.Internal.Review@southernwater.co.uk.

If you're still unhappy with our response, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office.