Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotland

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Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON

In the Herald today:

Calls are being made for an independent inquiry into Scottish Water amid soaring customer charges and eye-watering levels of executive pay and bonuses. Scotland’s largest trade union Unison is behind the demand after it commissioned an in-depth investigation into the company, which is publicly-owned, fearing is being privatised “by stealth”.

The average last year in Scotland was £490¹ but in other parts of the UK:

• Southern Water: £703
• South West Water: £686
• Wessex Water: £669
• Anglian Water: £626
• Thames Water: £639
• Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water: £639
• United Utilities: £598
• Yorkshire Water: £602
• Severn Trent Water: £556
• Northumbrian Water: £506
• Hafren Dyfrdwy: £590²

Sources:

1. https://wics.scot/latest/scottish-water-announces-2025-26-charges
2. https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publication/household-average-bills-information-for-2025-26

What about quality, thinking about poisoned Devon villagers, Thames rowers and Lake Windermere tourists, suffering in recent weeks and years?

How clean then is Scotland’s water?

A quick factcheck tells us:

The flows and levels in Scotland’s water environment are currently at good or better condition in 90% of rivers, lochs and groundwaters. This is up from 88% when we published the second RBMPs. https://www.thenational.scot/news/20833401.scotland-compare-england-water-beaches-closed-sewage-spills-south/

Why is this the case?

Does Scotland show there is an alternative to this system? Scottish Water is a wholly public entity directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament. It offers lower bills than any of the English companies, and invests around 35% more in infrastructure. This is delivering results for the Scottish taxpayer and public.https://www.environment.gov.scot/our-environment/water/scotland-s-freshwater/

And England’s water? NINE times more likely to contain sewage

From the Guardian on 12th August 2023:

‘An utter disgrace’: 90% of England’s most precious river habitats blighted by raw sewage and farming pollution. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/12/an-utter-disgrace-90-of-englands-most-precious-river-habitats-blighted-by-raw-sewage-and-farming-pollution

This requires little effort.

England above, Scotland below:

The flows and levels in Scotland’s water environment are currently at good or better condition in 90% of rivers, lochs and groundwaters. This is up from 88% when we published the second RBMPs (River Basin Management Planning).

https://www.environment.gov.scot/our-environment/water/scotland-s-freshwater/#:~:text=The%20flows%20and%20levels%20in,we%20published%20the%20second%20RBMPs

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotland

Click on the above.

Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON