The outcomes framework for the 2024 price review (PR24) holds water companies to account for the outcomes that customers pay for and incentivises companies to go further where it is in the interests of customers and the environment. We do this by defining performance commitments which measure the level of service provided for a particular outcome.
On this page we set out:
- definitions of common performance commitments, which apply to all water companies; and
- definitions of seven bespoke performance commitments that we accept, which may apply to individual water companies.
Common performance commitment definitions
The table below provides links to definitions for common performance commitments which will be measured for all companies in England and/or Wales for the 2025-30 period.
Data submitted by companies should be subject to rigorous and high-quality assurance. This is critical to provide confidence to us, customers and other stakeholders that the information reported is accurate and reliable. Where we are concerned about the quality of data, we may intervene to protect customers and ensure that companies do not benefit from insufficient data quality.
The performance commitment definitions have only been firmed up following an extensive consultation process. Subsequently, with new information available to us since receipt of companies’ business plans and in the process of our determination, we have identified amendments as explained in our ‘PR24 final determinations: Delivering outcomes for customers and the environment’. New or updated definitions are marked with an asterisk in the table below, amendments are shown in red text and recapped within the definition’s version control. A clean version of all performance commitments, common or bespoke, will be published by the beginning of the PR24 period, accepting the changes as shown in red text currently.
There are various performance commitments where third-party materials are used. Any change to these third-party materials during PR24 will be managed through our change control process, as explained in our ‘PR24 final determinations: Delivering outcomes for customers and the environment’.
For the measure of experience incentives (except for business customer and retailer measure of experience performance commitment), we have provided draft questionnaires for each survey. There may be small changes to these up until April 1 2025, after further engagement with companies, other stakeholders and our survey agent(s).
*denotes new or amended definition at final determinations.
The changes and corrections made at final determination and any changes and corrections made since final determination can be viewed at PR24 Outcomes performance commitments – changes and corrections – Ofwat.
PCs 11 & 12: more detail on reporting standards
The following guidance refers to part 4, ‘Reporting and Assurance’ of the PC definition.
To assist with what constitutes a ‘suitable standard’, the internationally recognised greenhouse gas emissions reporting standards listed below have been identified by companies to date and are considered to meet the accreditation criteria. This list serves as the approved set of standards to which companies can have their data assured for the operational greenhouse gas emissions performance commitments for water and wastewater.
Companies may propose additional standards for inclusion.
- ISO 14064
- ISAE 3410 (please note that ISAE 3410 is being withdrawn on 15 December 2026 and replaced by ISSA5000)
Bespoke performance commitment proposals
It is our PR24 methodology that common performance commitments would be used for most areas of companies’ performance. The definitions of the bespoke performance commitments that we are accepting in PR24 is listed out below:
Publications on our guidance and assessment for PR24 bespoke performance commitment are listed below:
- PR24 bespoke performance commitment definition template (updated 15 August 2024)
- PR24 final determinations – Delivering outcomes for customers and the environment (updated 23 July 2025)
Tideway performance commitments
Our final determinations included four performance commitments to incentivise Thames Water with regards agreed activities involving the Thames Tideway Tunnel. These are set out in detail below:
| Company | Tideway performance commitment definitions | Link to third-party material |
| Thames Water | Effective stakeholder engagement | |
| Thames Water | Managing early handback of Tideway project land | |
| Thames Water | Maximising the value of Tideway project land sales | |
| Thames Water | Systems acceptance incentive |