More than 1000 football pitches’ worth of land have been enhanced through Scottish Water’s net zero programme.
The improvements, totalling 733 hectares, have taken place during 2025/26 and include large-scale peatland restoration and woodland creation at key locations such as Loch Katrine and Backwater Reservoir.
These projects support biodiversity, water quality and climate resilience while helping to reduce carbon emissions.
Elise Cartmell, general manager for net zero at Scottish Water, said: "Our net zero programme is continuing to deliver benefits across the environment, our operations and the communities we serve.
"From restoring peatlands and expanding native woodland to generating more renewable energy, we're helping tackle climate change while supporting biodiversity, improving water quality and strengthening resilience to the impacts of a changing climate.
"These projects demonstrate that climate action can deliver multiple benefits for Scotland, both now and in the future."
The environmental improvements are part of Scottish Water’s wider climate strategy, which is embedding net zero principles across operations, infrastructure and land management.
The company’s latest Net Zero Routemap annual update highlights ongoing progress in reducing emissions while delivering broader benefits for people and the environment.
During the past year, Scottish Water has delivered 4.5 GWh of energy savings and generated 3.88 GWh of renewable electricity, enough to power around 3000 homes for a year.
The company has also expanded its use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a lower-carbon alternative to diesel.
Fueling stations have been installed in Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh to support vehicles and equipment that cannot yet be electrified due to operational requirements such as load and distance.
Despite this progress, the report notes that the path to net zero is becoming more complex.
Future emissions reductions will rely on addressing more challenging sources, including water and wastewater treatment processes, chemicals and supply chain emissions.
Cartmell said: "The next phase of the journey will be more challenging as we focus on emissions that are harder to abate.
"We've already demonstrated that meaningful reductions can be achieved across our operations, our land and the way we invest in new infrastructure.
"Since 2021, we've substantially lowered the carbon intensity of our investment programme, with lower-carbon design, materials and construction methods now embedded across project delivery.
"The challenge now is to build on that progress by tackling emissions associated with treatment processes, chemicals and wider supply chains.
"Reducing these emissions will require new technologies, continued innovation and close collaboration with partners across the sector, but we're continuing to build the knowledge, capability and partnerships needed to meet that challenge."
Scottish Water remains committed to investing in research, innovation and low-carbon solutions as it works toward net zero.
Cartmell said: "The transition to net zero is about much more than reducing carbon emissions.
"It's about helping create a more resilient, sustainable and flourishing Scotland.
"The benefits we're already seeing across our land, assets and communities show why this work matters and why we must continue to build on that progress."
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