Scottish Water has announced a package of investments in its waste water system – from treatment works to Combined Sewer Overflows – in a new Urban Waters Routemap worth half a billion pounds.

The water company said the comprehensive £500 million new action plan will further protect and improve the ecological condition of Scotland’s water environment, underlining Scottish Water's commitment to protect Scotland’s urban waters for decades to come.

The plan will complement the country’s River Basin Management Plans, developed and delivered collaboratively, which set out a range of priority measures, including working with land managers to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture, and supporting the passage of migratory fish such as salmon.

To complement the actions and ensure that rivers, beaches and urban waters are free from debris and reduce spills from sewers, Scottish Water has also published its own routemap and announced plans to invest half a billion pounds in Scotland’s waste water network.

The combined programme of work will ensure that Scotland’s rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal areas and groundwater can continue to supply drinking water, support fisheries, offer an essential resource for business and agriculture and serve as a source of recreation that promotes health and wellbeing.

Simon Parsons, Director of Strategic Customer Service Planning at Scottish Water, said:

“Over the past 20 years we have been committed to a programme of investment which has helped to deliver improvements to Scotland’s water environment.

“Scotland is renowned for the quality of its environment and its waters and the publication of our routemap today recognises the steps we need to now take to safeguard that reputation in the face of increasingly extreme weather resulting from climate change and the impact it has on an ageing sewer system.

“By announcing a package of planned investments in our waste water system – from our treatment works to our Combined Sewer Overflows – worth up to half a billion pounds, we are underlining our commitment to protecting Scotland’s urban waters for decades to come.

“Customers can also play a huge part – too many inappropriately flushed items, such as wet wipes, enter our network which either cause sewer flooding, blockages or appear as debris in rivers and beaches.

“We’re committed to working with a wide range of partners to help deliver innovative solutions around surface water removal, reducing impermeable surfaces and pursuing a circular approach to addressing this issue.”

Addressing the Scottish Parliament, Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said:

“Since 2010 Scottish Water has worked with SEPA to upgrade 104 wastewater treatment works and 279 storm overflows, by investing £686 million. And now they plan to go even further, investing a further half a billion pounds to improve protect Scotland’s waste water network.

“The River Basin Management Plans set our ambition and vision not only to protect Scotland’s waters but also to improve and restore our water environment for the benefit of all. The comprehensive actions set out in the plans are expected to result in 81% of Scotland’s water environment being in a good condition by 2027, which is a significant improvement of 15% on current results.”

The River Basin Management Plans are published every six years and are developed and delivered by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other public bodies. The plans are underpinned by scientific evidence and information so that action is targeted where it can have the greatest environmental benefit.

SEPA undertakes a comprehensive monitoring programme to assess the condition of Scotland’s water environment. This overall classification brings together an assessment of four separate themes: water quality, water quantity, fish migration and physical condition.

The most recent classification indicates that 66% of Scotland’s water environment overall is already in good condition. This is higher than the average across Europe and significantly higher than England’s 16%.

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, commented:

“We recognise that people have valued their local water environment more than ever during the pandemic. Scotland’s latest River Basin Management Plan builds on progress and prioritises action to improve urban and rural waters, whilst addressing the challenges of our changing climate. The RBMP comes with the first in a series of three-year rolling plans SEPA has required from Scottish Water to reduce the impacts of sewage spills.

“As we’ve seen from recent successes, systemic progress requires partnerships which is why across the next period, we’ll work closely with Scottish Government, Scottish councils, Scottish Water, environment and community groups and others, regulating activities, where required, as together we take the next steps to deliver an even better water environment for our nation.”

Scottish Water’s Routemap includes short-term activities as commitments for delivery in the period leading up to December 2024. The cost of delivering the activities is currently anticipated as around £150 million - £200 million and will require rephasing or reprioritisation of other Scottish Water activities planned for the current 2021-27 regulatory period.

The Water Sector in Scotland has an existing investment planning and prioritisation group (IPPG) that oversees the development of the rolling Scottish Water investment programme. Any commitment to investment is subject to approval by the group and post 2027 to alignment with revised objectives.

Click here to access Scottish Water’s Urban Water Routemap

Click here to access the River Basin Management Plan for Scotland 2021-2027

Click here to access the River Basin Management Plan for the Solway Tweed River Basin District 2021 update