Bbc
Scottish Water said that an increase in charges was necessary to invest in infrastructure to cope with a changing climate
Water bills in Scotland will increase by almost 10% compared to April.
Scottish Water said that the 9.9% increase was necessary to invest in infrastructure to cope with periods of “drought and intense precipitation” caused by climate change.
This means that houses in the lowest council tax band will be billed more than £ 400 for their supply and wastewater collection for the first time.
The body also declared that the increase, which follows an increase of 8.8% last year and an increase of 5% in 2023, “would rebalance the” charges “which were selected to help households after the cocovid pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
Scottish Water said he had served more than 2.6 million households and 225,000 companies across the country.
The interior water bills are collected as well as the tax of the Council in Scotland and are linked to the eight bands used to determine their value.
In band A, the lowest valuation, the annual charges will increase by around £ 36, while in the H, the highest, they will increase by £ 108 to 1,200.78.
The houses classified in band D will face an annual increase of £ 54.
Scottish Water said current projections have shown a four -time increase in the daily water deficit in Scotland during droughts or periods of low precipitation.
He declared that the country could face a deficit of up to 240 million liters per day, against 60 million liters, while the gusts of water should become more widespread by 2050 due to the more soil conditions Dry creating a movement.
Director General Alex Plant said that his infrastructure was under “serious pressure” due to climate development.
A report by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for the fall last year said that Scotland had known “dry conditions than normal” which had “affected water resources” across the country.
“Environmental challenges”
The Pet Office precipitation data has shown that fall 2024 was the fifth darkest in 100 years.
It followed a summer which was the weet most registered for certain parts of the country.
A new report covering the winter period will be published later this year.
Plant said that the lack of “increased investment” in the wake of environmental challenges risked “reductions in the quality of services”.
He said: “People in Scotland are rightly proud of our water and maintain our high standards means that we need long -term lasting investment.
“We have all seen – including in recent days – how weather conditions in Scotland become more extreme, and we see more frequent periods of drought and intense precipitation.
“This puts our current infrastructure under significant pressure and, without increased investment, we risk reducing the quality of services in the future.
Mr. Plant added: “This announcement will allow us to continue to provide high quality essential services to millions of people today, while investing cautiously for the future and ensuring that costs are fairly shared between current and future generations. “
The maximum quantity which can be billed by Scottish water for the period 2021-7 is defined by the regulator, WICS. The annual increase is then fixed by the board of directors of Scottish Water.