Paying for water and sewerage in Scotland

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

Most homes in Scotland are provided with water by Scottish Water.

The cost of water and sewerage is included in the council tax paid to your local council unless you have a water meter. Any council tax discount that you receive also applies to water and sewerage.

If you have a private water supply, you don't have to pay Scottish Water for it but there are some rules you must follow.

Paying for water from the public supply

If your home is connected to the public water supply and you don't have a water meter, you'll pay for your water with your council tax.

When you get your council tax bill for the year, it will show the extra amount that is being charged for water, depending on which council tax band your home is in. This amount is collected by your local council and passed on to Scottish Water.

You can read more about charging for water on the Scottish Water website.

Any council tax discount or exemption that you receive also applies to water.

If you have a water meter

If your home is connected to the public water supply and you have a water meter, you'll pay Scottish Water directly. They will send you a bill.

If you're exempt from paying council tax you're unlikely to also be exempt from paying metered water charges.

You would have to negotiate with Scottish Water to revert to ordinary non-metered charging for water if you want to receive a discount or exemption.

Paying for using the public sewerage system

Scottish Water provides public sewerage services to domestic households in Scotland. Unless there's a private septic tank or you're a mobile home resident, you’ll pay for sewerage with your council tax.

When you get your council tax bill for the year, it will show the extra amount that is being charged for sewerage, depending on which council tax band your home is in. This amount is collected by your local council and passed on to Scottish Water.

Any council tax discount or exemption that you receive also applies to sewerage.

Charges for water and sewerage on mobile home sites

If you live permanently in a mobile home, the site may charge you for providing water and sewerage services. You shouldn't also have charges from Scottish Water on your council tax bill.

There's a licensing system for mobile home sites with permanent residents. The site must keep to the rules about the charges that can be passed on to residents for water and sewerage.

If you live permanently on a mobile home site and you think you're being overcharged for water and sewerage then you should contact your local council.

Help with paying for public water and sewerage charges

Any council tax discount that you receive also applies to water and sewerage.

Council Tax Reduction and water and sewerage charges

If you get Council Tax Reduction (CTR), you should also get a reduction of up to 35% on the public water and sewerage charges on your council tax bill, unless you're getting another discount.

You can read a leaflet on council tax benefits and water and sewerage services 811 KB for more information.

The amount of the reduction on your bill depends on how much CTR you get. The local council should apply this automatically to your bill.

Example

If you get 50% Council Tax Reduction, you'll have 50% applied to your water and sewerage charges, but only up to the maximum of the possible 35% reduction. This means you'll get 35% reduction on the water and sewerage charges.

Exemption from water charges and a non-metered water supply

If a property connected to the water supply is exempt from council tax, it will usually also be exempt from water and sewerage charges. A property can be exempt from council tax for a number of different reasons.

A property might be exempt from council tax because it's empty for certain reasons. For example, the owner has died or moved into a care home. There might be a limit on how long the exemption lasts.

A property might also be exempt from council tax because of the people living in it, for example, students or someone who is severely mentally impaired. The property is exempt from paying council tax and water and sewerage charges only if everyone in the property is exempt from paying council tax.

Example

When a couple live together and one person is severely mentally impaired, the property is not exempt. But there might be a discount for council tax and water and sewerage charges. The local council might apply a single person discount of 25%. This is applied to the water and sewerage charges as well as the council tax and should be clearly shown on the council tax bill.

Is the amount billed for using public water and sewerage correct

Your council tax bill will show the cost of water and sewerage.

If you're told that you owe arrears of water and sewerage as part of your council tax, you should check first if the bill is correct and if you're entitled to any help with paying for water and sewerage.

If you have arrears of water and sewerage charges, there are a number of ways these might be collected from you.