We help maintain and improve the quality of Scotland's fresh and marine waters and ensure water resources are managed and supplied responsibly.
We work with partners to balance environmental protection with the needs and safety of industry and consumers.
We also work to reduce flood risk across Scotland by supporting authorities to protect communities and raise awareness about flooding.
Actions
We are managing and developing Scotland's water resources by:
- working with partners on water industry governance
- setting charging principles for domestic and non-domestic customers
- continually improving water services
- following our Hydro Nation strategy to maximise economic benefits from water resources
- developing policy and regulatory framework for protecting and improving the water environment through river basin management plans
- setting measures for managing protected waters
- developing policy and regulatory framework for reservoir safety
- helping communities with private water supplies affected by water scarcity
We are reducing flood risk by working with partners to manage flood risk, build flood resilience and raise awareness.
Background
Water supplies
Scottish Water, a public company accountable to Scottish Ministers and Parliament, provides Scotland's public drinking water and sewerage services. Visit mygov.scot for information on making complaints about public water supply.
Private water supplies are the responsibility of owners and users and are regulated by local authorities. We provide guidance on private water supplies for owners and users on mygov.scot. More information is available on the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) website.
The DWQR website also provides information on the approvals process and the latest list of approved products and processes for use in Scotland's public water supply.
Water environment
Scotland's water environment is one of our greatest natural assets, supporting health, wellbeing, wildlife and economic growth.
We protect and improve Scotland's rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater through River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), produced every six years. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) leads improvement programmes delivered with partners.
Bills and legislation
Water industry
- Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 and the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 – define powers and duties
- the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 set up Scottish Water, DWQR and Customer Consultation Panels
- the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 strengthened economic regulation, introduced the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), and introduced retail competition for non-domestic customers
- the Water Resources (Scotland) Act 2013 makes it makes it a statutory duty for Ministers to take reasonable steps to develop Scotland's water resources
Ministers exercise their powers through water industry regulations and ministerial orders, which are outlined in our full list of water industry legislation.
Private water supplies
The Water Intended for Human Consumption (Private Supplies) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 help ensure the provision of clean drinking water from private sources and apply to Regulated supplies. The Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 apply to small, domestic supplies.
Water environment
The Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 protects the water environment and amended previous sewerage and water legislation.
The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 set the regulatory regime for protecting and improving our water environment.
View a list of all water environment legislation.
Reservoirs
The Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011 increases public protection from reservoir flooding while treating reservoir owners fairly through proportionate regulation.
Ministers exercise their powers through reservoir safety regulations and ministerial orders, as set out in our list of all reservoirs legislation.
Flooding
The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 created a more co-ordinated process to manage flood risk nationally and locally.
The Flood Risk Management (Flood Protection Schemes, Potentially Vulnerable Areas and Local Plan Districts) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2017 amended the flood risk management regulations made in 2010.
Contact
Water supply and industry enquiries
Email: waterindustry@gov.scot
Post:
Scottish Government
Water Industry Division
Area 3F South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Drinking water enquiries
Email: regulator@dwqr.scot
Post:
DWQR
3F South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Water environment enquiries
Email: EQCAT@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
Post:
Environmental Quality Division
Scottish Government
Area 3H South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Flooding enquiries
Email: flooding_mailbox@gov.scot
Phone: 0131 244 4763
Post:
Scottish Government
Flood Risk Management Team
Area 3H South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Reservoir Safety Enquiries
Email: Reservoir_Safety@gov.scot
Phone: 0131 244 4763
Post:
Scottish Government
Flood Risk Management Team
Area 3H South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ