Scottish Water payments set to rise 9.9% in April

Water payments in Scotland will improve by nearly 10% from April.

Scottish Water mentioned the 9.9% rise was essential to spend money on infrastructure to deal with intervals of “drought and intense rainfall” introduced on by local weather change.

It means properties within the lowest council tax band A will probably be charged greater than £400 for his or her provide and waste water assortment for the primary time.

The physique additionally mentioned the rise, which follows an 8.8% rise final yr and a 5% rise in 2023, would “rebalance expenses” which have been held again to assist households after the Covid pandemic and value of residing disaster.

Scottish Water mentioned it served greater than 2.6 million households and 225,000 companies throughout the nation.

Home water payments are collected together with council tax in Scotland and are tied to the eight bands used to find out their worth.

In band A, the bottom valuation, yearly expenses will improve by about £36, whereas in band H, the very best, they are going to rise by £108 to £1,200.78.

Houses categorised in band D will face a £54 annual rise.

Scottish Water mentioned present projections confirmed a four-fold improve in Scotland’s every day water provide deficit throughout droughts or intervals of low rainfall.

It mentioned the nation may face a deficit of as much as 240 million litres a day, up from 60 million litres, whereas water essential bursts are anticipated to develop into extra prevalent by 2050 as a consequence of drier floor situations creating motion.

Chief govt Alex Plant mentioned its infrastructure was beneath “critical strain” as a result of altering local weather.

A report by the Scottish Setting Safety Company (Sepa) for autumn final yr mentioned Scotland had skilled “drier than regular situations” which had “impacted water sources” throughout the nation.

Met Workplace rainfall information confirmed autumn 2024 was the fifth driest in 100 years.

That adopted a summer time which was the wettest on document for components of the nation.

A brand new report overlaying the winter interval will probably be launched later this yr.

Mr Plant mentioned an absence of “elevated funding” within the wake of environmental challenges risked “reductions in service high quality”.

He mentioned: “Individuals in Scotland are rightly pleased with our water and sustaining our excessive requirements means we’d like long-term sustainable funding.

“We have all seen – together with in the previous couple of days – how climate situations in Scotland have gotten extra excessive, and we’re seeing extra frequent intervals of each drought and intense rainfall.

“This places our present infrastructure beneath vital strain, and, with out elevated funding, we threat reductions in service high quality sooner or later.

Mr Plant added: “This announcement will allow us to proceed to offer important high-quality providers to thousands and thousands of individuals right this moment, whereas additionally investing prudently for the longer term, and making certain that prices are shared pretty between present and future generations.”

The utmost quantity that may be charged by Scottish Water for the 2021-7 interval is set out by the regulator, Wics. The annual improve is then set by the board of Scottish Water.