Scottish Water bills to rise by 9.9% in April

Water bills in Scotland are to rise by 9.9% in April, Scottish Water has announced.

It said this means the average monthly household bills for water and waste water services will increase by £3.68 per month or £44 per year from April 1.

Scottish Water said current infrastructure is put under “significant pressure” as weather conditions become more extreme, with more periods of both drought and intense rainfall, and more investment is needed.

It follows an 8.8% increase last year.

Scottish Water, which is publicly owned, said more than half (52%) of the households it serves, around 2.6 million in Scotland, receive financial support with their charges.

Alex Plant, chief executive of Scottish Water, said: “People in Scotland are rightly proud of our water and maintaining our high standards means we need long-term sustainable investment.

“We’ve all seen – including in the last few days – how weather conditions in Scotland are becoming more extreme, and we are seeing more frequent periods of both drought and intense rainfall.

“This puts our current infrastructure under significant pressure, and, without increased investment, we risk reductions in service quality in the future.

“Today’s announcement will enable us to continue to provide essential high-quality services to millions of people today, while also investing prudently for the future, and ensuring that costs are shared fairly between current and future generations.”

Most household water and waste water bills are collected along with council tax and the charges are based on the council tax banding of the property.

The company said the charges, which are set by the Scottish Water Board, are in line with the overall price cap set by the independent regulator for the current regulatory period.

It said the £44 annual increase for an average household in Scotland reflects a decision by the board to rebalance charges in the earlier years of the 2021-2027 regulatory period to help reduce pressure on families and businesses at the height of the Covid and cost-of-living crises.

Water and waste water charges to licensed providers who supply businesses and other non-domestic customers will increase by the same amount.