- Saves customers over £80 in total compared to Scottish Water's business plan before inflation by the end of 2027-33.
- Average bills will rise by around £16 per year before inflation, around £4 less than Scottish Water proposed
- Limits the annual change in charges to no more than 2.5% above inflation with a further 0.3% available from 2029 only if uncertain costs arise.
More ambitious performance targets resulting in:
- Saving 47 million litres of water lost through leaks each day by 2032-33, equivalent to 18 Olympic sized swimming pools
- A 43% reduction in serious pollution incidents from Scottish Water’s revised forecast of 7 in 2026-27 to no more than 4 in 2032-33
- Reducing sewer flooding in homes from Scottish Water’s revised forecast of 393 houses in 2026-27 to no more than 342 in 2032-33, an 13% reduction.
What Scottish Water proposed in its final business plan |
Our decision |
| Charges increasing by CPI+21.5% by 2033 | Lower charge path of up to CPI+17.3% by 2033 |
| £8.1 billion of investment | £7.9 billion after challenge |
| Higher operating costs | Around £110 million cost challenge over the period |
| Performance targets in key measures | Enhanced targets for 18 measures particularly where customers told us it matters most |
| Major project costs still uncertain | Added conditions before customers pay |
| Reducing leakage by 9.9% | Reducing leakage by at least 11% |
| 99.95% drinking water quality compliance by the end of SRC27 | Enhanced drinking water quality with a minimum of 99.96% compliance |
| 24 fewer homes experiencing sewer flooding incidents compared to Scottish Water's forecast position in 2026-27 (around 420 homes) | At least 51 fewer homes experiencing sewer flooding incidents compared to Scottish Water's forecast position in 2026-27 |
| 150 unsatisfactory sewer discharges removed | A minimum of 168 unsatisfactory sewer discharges removed |