The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), the independent economic regulator for Scotland’s water, has outlined its Draft Determination of charges for the next six years following detailed review of Scottish Water’s business plan. The public, businesses and organisations in Lanarkshire are being urged to have their say on water and wastewater charges between 2027 and 2033 before the 1 September deadline.
What the Draft Determination sets out
The Draft Determination sets out the maximum charges Scottish Water could apply, the investment programme it would be funded to deliver, and the service improvements customers should expect in return. WICS has encouraged people, businesses and organisations across Scotland to comment by September 1, with its Final Determination due to be published in October.
The regulator’s Draft Determination limits the annual change in bills to no more than 2% above inflation in the normal course of events, or 2.3% if certain costs materialise. Average bills would rise by around £12 per year before inflation, around £7 less than Scottish Water proposed.
Investment and savings
Scottish customers currently pay some of the lowest water bills in the UK and, because Scottish Water is publicly owned, every pound collected is reinvested in the system. WICS’ draft decision also supports record levels of investment of around £7.9 billion in Scotland’s water and wastewater services.
This is a 30% increase on the investment programme for the current regulatory period and would support improvements in drinking water quality, supply reliability, leakage reductions, sewer flooding, environmental protection and resilience to climate change. The regulator’s draft decision has identified opportunities to reduce Scottish Water’s proposed spending by £360 million while maintaining the outcomes and improvements customers value most.
Leakage targets and consultation details
These include targets to reduce leakage by 67 million litres per day, or 15%, saving enough water to fill over 26 Olympic-sized swimming pools daily. The proposals also require fewer pollution and flooding incidents and offer greater protections for customers.
WICS chief executive David Satti said: “As the 1 September deadline for responses to the Draft Determination consultation approaches, we would again encourage communities, businesses and other stakeholders to share their views.
“Our Draft Determination is intended to protect customers from paying more than they need to, while ensuring Scottish Water can invest in the safe, reliable and resilient services Scotland will need in the years ahead.
“We have allowed for a significant increase in investment, but we have also challenged Scottish Water’s costs and made some funding conditional.
“This is how we ensure that customers only pay where investment is necessary, efficient, deliverable and produces clear benefits.”
Consultation on the Draft Determination started on 30 June and runs to 1 September 2026. WICS will publish its Final Determination of charges on 29 October 2026, with the new charges taking effect from 1 April 2027. Visit www.wics.scot/SRC27Consultation for more details.
