YORKSHIRE Water has been ordered to charge customers a discounted rate on bills next year after the company missed yearly targets.

Eleven water companies in England and Wales have been ordered by the industry regulator Ofwat to give customers a discount next year after missing their performance targets on areas including pollution, supply interruptions and sewage flooding.

Ofwat said that if water companies do not meet their yearly targets, they must offer customers a discount on next year's bills, and if they exceed their targets, they can charge customers more.

Yorkshire Water has been listed among the 11 companies to offer customers a discount, and could be taking £15.2 million less from customers next year - although the amount is yet to be finalised. The discount will come into effect from February 2023.

Ofwat says that a separate report will be released at the end of this year detailing which specific targets Yorkshire Water didn't meet, and in which areas of Yorkshire.

However, all customers are to benefit from the discount.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: "Our teams have continued to maintain a resilient service to our customers throughout the pandemic and three severe weather events experienced throughout a very challenging 2021/22.

"Ofwat’s final determination takes into account areas where we surpassed targets and were rewarded, as well as those where we continue to strive to improve our operations and meet performance commitments.

"Over the past year, we have not always met the standards we set ourselves in some areas, but key metrics including leakage reduction, the health of our networks in terms of mains repairs, sewer collapses and low pressure, were all achieved."

Currently, Yorkshire Water appears to be the fourth worst performer in terms of how much it could be losing through discount (£15.2 million).

So far, Ofwat say Thames Water could be losing £51 million, Southern Water £28.3 million, and Northumbrian Water may lose £20.3 million.

David Black, Ofwat CEO, said: “When it comes to delivering for their customers, too many water companies are falling short, and we are requiring them to return around £150 million to their customers. 

“We expect companies to improve their performance every year; where they fail to do so, we will hold them to account. 

"All water companies need to earn back the trust of customers and the public and we will continue to challenge the sector to improve.”