Scottish Water Delivers Record Performance

“The success of this last year assures me that we have the right people, culture, and ambition to keep doing what’s right for our customers and for Scotland.”

Alex Plant
CEO, Scottish Water

Scottish Water has achieved its best performance year ever, with record levels of customer satisfaction, fewer serious environmental pollution incidents, and a reduction in leakage and supply interruptions. 

The publicly owned utility's Overall Performance Assessment (OPA) score - which measures its performance across key activities vital to maintaining high standards of customer service and protecting the environment - reached its highest level since Scottish Water was formed 23 years ago.  

Our latest Annual Report: Performance and Prospects 2024/25, details a record investment of £1.09 billion in state-of-the-art water and waste water projects, benefiting communities across Scotland. 

The report reveals Scottish Water is focused on delivering wider benefits from every investment, including supporting local economies and promoting biodiversity. 

Chief Executive Alex Plant said: “It is great to report that we’ve had our strongest year ever, with much to be proud of. We’ve reduced leaks by 22% after last year’s unwelcome increase, halved serious pollution incidents, and made strong progress towards net zero emissions targets. 

“Our Customer satisfaction reached 94%, remarkable in any sector. We’re also the joint most trusted utility in the UK, according to a survey of 10,000 consumers. These results are testament to the efforts of the remarkable people at Scottish Water and our vital delivery and supply chain partners. 

“Scotland’s drinking water continues to be rated ‘world class’ by our independent regulators. And our environment is benefiting too, with 87% of waterbodies rated as ‘good’ or better by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).  

“In total, we delivered over £1 billion of investment in critical infrastructure last year, whilst also hitting our targets for timely delivery. As a publicly owned organisation, every penny of surplus is reinvested into improving services. We never take the trust of our customers for granted and are determined to deliver value for money in all we do. 

“More widely, we could not deliver such great results were it not for the long-term, steady, and prudent investment we have been allowed, and the benefits of the model we operate in Scotland:  publicly owned, commercially run, and independently regulated. This combination helps us respond effectively to a fast-changing world. But we know continued investment will be needed to ensure customers get the high standard of service they rightly expect. 

Mr Plant noted that challenges such as extreme weather, ageing assets, which accounted for a large part of the company’s repair bill, which was up 8% on last year, and a growing and shifting population meant new ways of working, planning, and investing were needed. 

He also warned the utility could not overcome some of the challenges alone – saying we would need to work with councils, community groups, regulators, developers, farmers, and customers to reduce demand and find innovative ways to protect the environment.  

Mr Plant added: “Looking ahead, we know there are big decisions to make and that we need to invest more smartly, drive productivity and deliver multiple benefits through the projects our customers’ hard-earned money enables.  We need to be better prepared for challenges and make our network more resilient to extreme weather, being bolder and more innovative on our journey. 

“The success of this last year assures me that we have the right people, culture, and ambition to keep doing what’s right for our customers and for Scotland.” 

Mr Plant also said he hoped Scottish Water would continue to attract hundreds of graduates and apprentices to build the workforce of the future.  

He added: “We are fortunate to have dedicated people in place across our organisation and at all levels with the right mindsets and values. They are driving innovation, taking bolder steps and building new partnerships, all in pursuit of our clear purpose and ambitions. 

“This allows us to continue to deliver the high standards people rightly expect of us, whilst also looking at every opportunity to improve further, and do all we can to support a flourishing Scotland now and in the future.”