Scottish Water has announced new higher charges for 2025/26, which the publicly owned water company says will fund vital water and waste water services in Scotland.
Average monthly household bills will rise by £3.68 per month or £44 per year from 1 April 2025, equating to a rise of 9.9% in charges.
More than half (52%) of the 2.6m+ households in Scotland receive financial support with their charges, either through the application of a discount, exemption or reduction meeting set criteria.
Water and waste water charges to licensed providers who supply businesses and other non-domestic customers will also increase by the same amount.
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.
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.”
The charges are set at a level consistent with the Final Determination of Charges for the 2021-2027 period, set by the independent economic regulator, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland. They will help maintain round-the-clock water and waste water services which meet stringent quality and environmental standards.
