Target: cut leakage by 20% from 2017-18 levels by March 2027, to 2,390 million litres a day, then 30% by 2032. Water companies have also committed to halve it by 2050. Starting from 2,987, the straight path needs 2,456 by now.

What it means: water lost from companies’ mains and from customers’ supply pipes before it is used, about a fifth of all water put into supply. The years between 2017-18 and 2023-24 are not shown here because they were not in the reports used. The Environment Agency said leakage did not fall in 2025-26 despite company forecasts that it would.

Source: Environment Agency, water resources 2025 to 2026 and the 2023-24 and 2024-25 editions; targets from the water demand Environment Act target delivery plan.