Climate Change

Ready To Serve Scotland In A Changing Climate

Our fourth annual Carbon Footprint Report, for 2009-10, shows we have managed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by a further 9,000 tonnes.

The report calculates the carbon cost of Scottish Waters day-to-day operations during 2009-10, showing a footprint of 447,593 tonnes of CO2 equivalents.

A similar sized drop in emissions was reported the previous year. The way the footprint is calculated has been improved and the data used to calculate it are better.

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. Modern treatment plants are more energy intensive. The challenge for Scottish Water is to maintain this high quality while reducing power consumption and associated carbon emissions.

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

To this end we have recently published the first iteration of our Carbon Plan, which outlines the actions we are taking as a business to reduce our carbon emissions.

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 and 2008-09 Carbon Footprint Reports.