diff --git a/homeassistant/components/water_heater/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/water_heater/__init__.py
index 4396c66cf22..c821824d279 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/water_heater/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/water_heater/__init__.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class WaterHeaterEntity(Entity):
     _attr_operation_list: list[str] | None = None
     _attr_precision: float
     _attr_state: None = None
-    _attr_supported_features: WaterHeaterEntityFeature | int = 0
+    _attr_supported_features: WaterHeaterEntityFeature = WaterHeaterEntityFeature(0)
     _attr_target_temperature_high: float | None = None
     _attr_target_temperature_low: float | None = None
     _attr_target_temperature: float | None = None
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class WaterHeaterEntity(Entity):
         )
 
     @property
-    def supported_features(self) -> WaterHeaterEntityFeature | int:
+    def supported_features(self) -> WaterHeaterEntityFeature:
         """Return the list of supported features."""
         return self._attr_supported_features
 
diff --git a/pylint/plugins/hass_enforce_type_hints.py b/pylint/plugins/hass_enforce_type_hints.py
index 53c3aa4b8b3..b7219bbf0e4 100644
--- a/pylint/plugins/hass_enforce_type_hints.py
+++ b/pylint/plugins/hass_enforce_type_hints.py
@@ -2539,7 +2539,7 @@ _INHERITANCE_MATCH: dict[str, list[ClassTypeHintMatch]] = {
                 ),
                 TypeHintMatch(
                     function_name="supported_features",
-                    return_type=["WaterHeaterEntityFeature", "int"],
+                    return_type="WaterHeaterEntityFeature",
                 ),
                 TypeHintMatch(
                     function_name="target_temperature",