South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has criticised the move by Scottish Water to hike water charges by 8.8% – as the company sets out plans to increase bills by 29% over three years.

The Government owned firm announced today (Thursday 1 February) that bills will rise by 8.8% in April, and follow on from a 5% increase last year. The move will increase average charges for water and sewerage by £35.95 per year from April, compared to the £19.25 increase last year.

Colin Smyth is angry the Scottish Government has failed to intervene to block the bill hike to protect families facing a cost of living crisis.

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said, “ It is shocking that SNP and Green Ministers are not intervening to stop Scottish Water hiking up charges at a time so many households are struggling to pay their existing bills and are facing a real cost of living crisis.

“While Scottish Water sit on hundreds of millions of pounds of reserves and their boss takes home a salary of nearly £300,000, families look set to see their bills go up by nearly a third over three years. The company should be using some of their reserves to cushion the impact of these hikes.

“It makes a mockery of the Scottish Government’s so-called council tax freeze given that the increase in water bills will arrive with council tax bills. It will pile pressure on those who can least afford it, while Scottish Water hand out huge pay packets to their bosses”.