People are being invited to have their say on future water and wastewater charges.
The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) has launched a public consultation on its draft determination covering the years 2027 to 2033, which will impact Scottish Water customers, stakeholders and interested parties.
The determination outlines proposed limits on bill changes and investment plans.
Services improvements are also covered as part of the proposals.
David Satti, chief executive of the WICS, said: "Our Draft Determination is intended to protect customers from paying more than they need to, while ensuring Scottish Water can invest in the safe, reliable and resilient services Scotland will need in the years ahead.
"We have allowed for a significant increase in investment, but we have also challenged Scottish Water’s costs and made some funding conditional. This is how we ensure that customers only pay where investment is necessary, efficient, deliverable and produces clear benefits.
"The decisions made for the next regulatory period will shape the reliability, resilience and affordability of water and wastewater services for years to come. We want to hear from customers, communities, businesses and other stakeholders before we reach our Final Determination."
The draft determination proposes that annual bill increases should not exceed 2% above inflation under normal circumstances.
A rise of 2.3% above inflation could be applied if certain costs arise.
Average bills are expected to rise by around £12 per year before inflation.
The draft plan supports around £7.9 billion of investment in Scotland’s water infrastructure—a 30% increase on the current spending period.
This plan includes improvements to drinking water quality, supply reliability, leakage reduction, sewer flooding mitigation and environmental protection.
It also aims to increase resilience to climate change.
The commission said it identified £360 million in potential savings while maintaining the outcomes customers value most.
This includes a 15% reduction in leakage, equivalent to 67 million litres per day.
This would save enough water to fill more than 26 Olympic-sized swimming pools daily.
The draft determination also includes measures to reduce pollution and flooding incidents and increase customer protections.
The consultation on the proposals is open until September 1, with the commission to publish its final determination on October 29.
New charges will take effect from April 1, 2027.
More information on the consultation is available at wics.scot/SRC27Consultation.
