Drinking water in Scotland 2023

Water Quality Regulator says “Scotland’s tap water is first class, but we need to make sure it stays that way”.

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s latest annual report shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water remains very high, although continued investment is needed to ensure it stays that way in the face of a number of challenges.

Matt Bower, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator said: “Our drinking water in Scotland is amongst the finest in the world; however, ageing water treatment assets and changing source water quality mean that we cannot take this for granted. We must ensure that the scale and pace of investment in the maintenance and replacement of water assets is sufficient to safeguard the consistently high quality of our drinking water for future generations.”

• The report, covering Drinking Water Quality in Scotland during 2023, states that a total of 272,017 regulatory tests were carried out on Scotland’s drinking water last year. Of those tests on samples taken to represent quality at consumers’ taps, 99.88% met the required standards. A direct comparison with previous years is not possible due to changes in the numbers and locations of samples.

• The quality of water leaving water treatment works and treated water storage points, while still high, showed a slight deterioration in compliance with the standards on the previous year.

• The number of water quality incidents requiring detailed investigation by the DWQR during 2023 was 29, a very similar figure to previous years.

• A full copy of Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2023 is available at www.dwqr.org.uk

Background

The DWQR is independent of Scottish Ministers and ensures that Scottish Water complies with its drinking water quality duties.

DWQR reviews water quality data from samples taken by Scottish Water and undertakes targeted audits examining all aspects of its operations. The Regulator also supervises enforcement of the Private Water Supply Regulations by local authorities (detailed in a separate report to be published in September).

Where drinking water does not meet the required standard, the Regulator has powers to investigate and ensure problems are resolved. This can involve taking enforcement action or prosecution.

The DWQR also has a role in helping to define Scottish Water’s investment programme and is committed to ensuring that drinking water supplies in Scotland are of the highest possible standard.

The role of DWQR was created in 2002, at the same time as Scottish Water. A report is published annually detailing the work of DWQR and an assessment of drinking water quality during the previous year. This is the 22nd annual report.

The current DWQR is Matt Bower CSci FIWater. Matt has worked in the water industry for nearly 30 years and holds the role of DWQR on an interim basis following the retirement of his predecessor, Sue Petch, in December 2023.