Scottish Water has today published "Our Sustainable Future Together," an ambitious new strategic plan outlining the future of Scotland’s water and wastewater services for the next 25 years. Launched following the driest start to a year since 1964, the comprehensive strategy aims to ensure that these vital services remain sustainable, resilient, and affordable for generations to come.

The plan, developed with extensive customer and stakeholder engagement, confronts the significant challenges facing Scotland's water industry. These include:

• More Extreme Weather: Increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods are placing immense pressure on water and wastewater systems.

• Growing and Shifting Population: Scotland’s population is expanding and moving from west to east, alongside a rise in single-person households, creating new demands on the network.

• Ageing Infrastructure: The need to replace and upgrade infrastructure, much of which is over a century old, to meet modern demands and improve environmental conditions.

A seven-week public consultation played a crucial role in shaping the strategy, helping Scottish Water identify and prioritise three long-term outcomes:

1. Scotland’s tap water remains a source of national pride and is valued as a precious resource.

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2. The quality of Scotland's rivers and seas improves, and communities are protected from sewer flooding through collaboration.

1. Scottish Water plays a key role in enabling Scotland’s sustainable and economic housing growth.

To achieve these outcomes, the utility will focus on three key approaches: fostering collaboration and partnerships with organisations, customers, and communities; transforming operations and driving efficiencies through innovation and technology; and reducing demand on services and assets by addressing leakage, encouraging customers to use less water, and managing rainwater on the surface.

Alex Plant, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, underscored the urgency and the need for collective action. "More extreme weather events – as we’ve seen with the recent record dry spell – are becoming the new normal in Scotland. In addition to such dry weather, we will see more extreme downpours more often, too, so we need to adapt to greater flood risk," he said. "The risks of too little and too much rain are increasing, and responding to those to avoid harm to customers and the environment is at the very heart of our Long-Term Strategy."

Plant emphasised that "everyone who lives in Scotland is a shareholder in Scottish Water, and we all have a responsibility to protect our most precious resource." He called for a shift in the nation's relationship with water, noting that "this will need both sustained investment in water infrastructure and action from all of us to use water resources more efficiently." He highlighted a recent 60 million litre reduction in demand, demonstrating the positive impact of collective effort.

Climate Impact and Usage Statistics: Scotland's average daily water use per person is among the highest in the UK, at 178 litres, compared to a combined average of 137 litres in England and Wales. Without adaptation, projections indicate that Scotland could face a daily water deficit of 240 million litres by 2050 during extended periods of low rainfall. The east of the country, particularly around Edinburgh, the Lothians, and Fife, where 1.6 million customers reside, is expected to experience the greatest impact.

The full Our Sustainable Future Together: Long Term Strategy document is available on the Scottish Water website at: www.scottishwater.co.uk/LongTermStrategy