SCOTTISH Water has announced that average monthly household bills will rise by £44 per year to support vital water and waste services in Scotland.
They state that sustainable long-term investment is crucial to maintaining the standards of Scotland’s water.
This means that Scots will see charges rising by £3.48 per month from April this year, which equates to an increase of 9.9%.
Households in the lowest council tax band, A, will now pay £400.26 a year, whilst those in band H will pay just over £1,200.
It has also been confirmed that licensed providers who supply businesses and other non-domestic customers will see the same increase in their water and wastewater charges.
Alex Plant, CEO 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.”
Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West posted to social media yesterday about the price hike, saying: “The Scottish Government has confirmed that Scottish Water’s charges will increase by 9.9% this year (inflation is currently around 2.5%).
“This is added to your council tax bill.”
The prices are set by the Scottish Water Board and are in line with the overall price cap set by the independent regulator, Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS).
They are tasked with determining the lowest cost that Scottish Water can charge whilst still meeting quality, environmental, and service objectives for the industry.
The WICS interim chief executive David Satti said: “We have carefully reviewed and approved Scottish Water’s 2025-26 Charges Scheme as being consistent with the overall price cap set out in the 2021-27 Final Determination of charges.
“The approved increase enables Scottish Water to continue to deliver high standards of service, safeguarding vital infrastructure for both current and future customers.
“It represents the lowest annual rise in water charges across the UK, also ensuring Scottish Water’s average household bill will be the lowest in the UK.”
