Water bills in Scotland will rise by 8.7% in April – an average of £42 a year.

The increase will take the average bill in Scotland to £532, which remains among the lowest of any water company in the UK.

The rise – which works out at an average of about £3.50 extra a month – is in line with limits set by the independent economic regulator, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS).

Average water bills in England and Wales rose by 26%, or £123 a year last April.

Scottish Water, which is publicly owned, said the money would enable it to maintain essential services for more than five million people and support investment to upgrade infrastructure, such as water pipes and treatment works.

Scotland’s water and waste water system is facing increasing pressure including more extreme weather and growing demand.

The company said recent challenges included Scotland’s driest start to the year in six decades and an increase in repairs as older infrastructure comes to the end of its operational life.

Alex Plant, Scottish Water’s chief executive, said: “We understand any rise is unwelcome, but as a publicly-owned organisation every penny our customers pay goes into improving services for people in Scotland – from tackling ageing pipes, to responding to ever more extreme weather, to enabling new homes to be built.

“We know that sustainable investment now protects customers from higher costs in the future.”

Scottish Water said Scotland had one of the most comprehensive support schemes in the UK, with more than half (53%) of households receiving help with water charges.

Most households pay water charges through their council tax bills, based on the council tax band of their home.

The company’s board said that during and after the pandemic it had deliberately kept bill increases below inflation to support households.

This had reduced Scottish Water’s investment programme by an estimated £400-£500m.

Since 2021, drinking water compliance in Scotland has improved to 99.93%.

There has been a 25% reduction in serious environmental pollution incidents and internal sewer flooding incidents have been cut by one-third.

Scottish Water said the overall economic value generated was £4.5bn a year.

In 2025, Scotland had its driest start to the year in six decades, with rainfall at just 59% of normal levels.

Daily demand spiked by 100 million litres, equivalent to supplying all of Tayside.

Emergency water supplies were transported to rural communities.

Repair costs rose by 8% as older pipes reached the end of their operational life.