Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action Scottish Water is taking to prioritise the connection of residential properties to the mains water supply in situations where private water supplies are consistently failing water quality tests and residents are routinely provided with bottled drinking water.
Responsibility for private water supplies rests with those who own or operate them, with statutory duties set out in the relevant regulations. Local authorities have duties to monitor supplies, provide advice where standards are not met, and take enforcement action where necessary to ensure owners and users meet their statutory responsibilities.
Where a private supply is consistently failing, it is for the owner or operator to decide whether to apply for a connection to the public water mains. Applications are made through Scottish Water’s standard process and are subject to technical feasibility. There is no separate prioritisation for these cases, and applicants for all connections applications are liable for the associated costs.