A landmark agreement has put Scotland’s consumers at the centre of the future of water charges and investments, thanks to a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), Scottish Water, and Consumer Scotland.
This agreement aims to place consumers, communities, and environmental needs at the heart of the upcoming Strategic Review of Charges (SRC), which will shape water charges from 2027 to 2033.
Through this Strategic Review, water charges will be carefully assessed to ensure customers pay no more than necessary to maintain services, upgrade infrastructure, and meet policy objectives set by Scottish Ministers.
Scottish Water’s Long-Term Strategy will be a critical component of this review, addressing both the climate crisis and Scotland’s ageing water infrastructure, while aiming for efficient and equitable pricing for consumers.
Under the MoU, consumers will have a clear voice throughout the review process, with Scottish Water committing to engage the public to shape a Business Plan that reflects customer priorities.
The MoU establishes three core pillars for this review—evidence, challenge, and confirmation—each designed to ensure that customer feedback directly impacts decision-making.
Consumer research will be a foundation of the evidence phase, allowing an Independent Customer Group to question Scottish Water’s strategies as they build their Business Plan.
The final confirmation phase will seek customer endorsement of the plan, asking consumers directly if they support Scottish Water’s final proposal.
Alex Plant, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, described this agreement as a “significant step” towards a customer-focused approach, highlighting the role of consumer feedback in balancing legal obligations and Ministerial goals.
Scottish Water, he noted, serves millions of people across Scotland, so robust and transparent customer engagement is essential to its operations.
Consumer Scotland’s Chief Executive, Sam Ghibaldan, underscored the lasting impact of these decisions, which will affect customers during the SRC period and far beyond.
Ghibaldan hailed the MoU as a “groundbreaking agreement” that allows Scottish Water to gauge genuine customer support for its plans, marking a notable innovation over previous review processes.
David Satti, Interim CEO of WICS, also praised the MoU, saying it formalises a commitment to prioritising the customer voice, fostering transparency, and ensuring that the final determination of charges will be widely supported by consumers.
This historic partnership between WICS, Scottish Water, and Consumer Scotland signals a new era of customer-centred water management in Scotland, promising open engagement, thorough research, and independent oversight to build a fair and future-ready water system.
