Climate Change

Ready To Serve Scotland In A Changing Climate

Our fifth annual Carbon Footprint Report, for 2010-11, shows a small increase in our greenhouse gas emissions by a 593 tonnes. This is well within the margin of error for the calculations.

The report calculates the carbon cost of Scottish Waters day-to-day operations during 2010-11, showing a footprint of 448,186 tonnes of CO2 equivalents.

The way the footprint is calculated has been improved and the data used to calculate it are better. Our grid electricity consumption in 2010/11 decreased slightly on the previous year’s consumption, whilst on-site use of fossil fuels increased (which is likely to be due to colder weather condidtions experienced in 2010/11).

We continue to have the lowest carbon footprint for drinking water in the UK, mainly due to the high quality of raw water in the environment and the extensive use of gravity systems for distribution rather than having to pump water around.

Since being formed in 2002 Scottish Water has invested over £4 billion to make drinking water the highest quality it has ever been, support sustainable development and protect the environment. Often this has required more intense forms of wastewater treatment, with associated increase in emissions.

Scottish Water is committed to managing emissions and to ensuring all parts of our business consider carbon and wider sustainability within decisions and actions.

To this end we are currently developing our updated Carbon Management Plan to quantify some of the carbon savings available from the actions laid out in the first iteration of our Carbon Plan.

Read our Q and A on our carbon footprint and climate change.

If you have any further questions or comments, please Contact Us.

To find out more read our 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 Carbon Footprint Reports.