05/06/2025                                                                                                                                                   

Dear [redacted information],

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 (FOISA) 

Thank you for your request dated 12 May 2026 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA). 

 

Your request 

Your request asked for all research, reports, consultation responses, and correspondence on consumer experiences with water and wastewater services, particularly highlighting any rural/urban differences or disadvantages, including any work on affordability, private systems, and economic impacts on rural consumers.

 

Our response

I can confirm there were no results following an internal search using the key terms:

"consumer experiences with water and wastewater services"

"rural consumer experiences with water and wastewater services"

"urban consumer experiences with water and wastewater services"

However, Consumer Scotland regularly publishes research, reports, consultation responses and correspondence relating to water services on our website.  I have provided links below to these publications, split out by year.

 

2026

Topic

Publication

Summary: Phase 1 of Strategic Review of Charges 2027 2033 deliberative consumer research February 2026

Summary: Phase 1 of Strategic Review of Charges 2027-2033 consumer research (HTML) | Consumer Scotland

Summary: Phase 2 of Strategic Review of Charges 2027 2033 deliberative consumer research February 2026

Summary: Phase 2 of Strategic Review of Charges 2027-2033 consumer research (HTML) | Consumer Scotland

SRC27 longitudinal deliberative research - Findings from phase 1

Ipsos report template

SR27 Deliberative Research - Phase 1 Stimulus Appendix

Ipsos report template 2026

SRC27 longitudinal deliberative research – findings from Phase 2

Ipsos report template

SR27 Deliberative Research - Phase 2 Stimulus Appendix

Ipsos report template 2026

Water services: investing in and paying from 2027

Scottish Government consultation on Water Services: investing in and paying from 2027 | Consumer Scotland

Letter to Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on water affordability

Letter to Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on water affordability | Consumer Scotland

Response letter from Scottish Government on water affordability

Response letter from Scottish Government on water affordability | Consumer Scotland

 

2025

Topic

Publication

Consumer views on climate change, water and Scotland’s future: Follow up research

Consumer views on climate change, water and Scotland's future: Follow up research | Consumer Scotland

Affordability of water and sewerage charges

Affordability of water and sewerage charges | Consumer Scotland

Letter to Scottish Government on water affordability

Letter to Scottish Government on water affordability | Consumer Scotland

Customer complaints

Customer complaints - a comparison of published data across UK communication, energy, financial services and water sectors | Consumer Scotland

Response to Scottish Water SR27 Draft Business Plan

Scottish Water SR27 Draft Business Plan - Investing in Scotland's Future | Consumer Scotland

Response to Scottish Water draft Long-Term strategy

Scottish Water draft Long-Term Strategy consultation | Consumer Scotland

 

2024

Topic

Publication

Strategic Review of Charges 2027-2033: Draft Methodology

 

WICS consultation: Strategic Review of Charges 2027-2033: Draft Methodology | Consumer Scotland

Draft Business Plan Guidance Consultation

consumer-scotland-letter-on-draft-business-plan-guidance-5-november-2024-for-publication.pdf

Climate Change, Water and Scotland’s Future

Ipsos report               

Consumer views on climate adaptation in the water sector – drainage and wastewater

ipsos-deliberative-policy-briefing-drainage-and-wastewater-final-pdf.pdf

 

Consumer views on climate adaptation in the water sector – water efficiency

ipsos-deliberative-policy-briefing-water-efficiency-final-pdf.pdf

                 

Affordability of water and sewerage charges: Outlook for water poverty in Scotland

Affordability of water and sewerage charges: The outlook for water poverty in Scotland | Consumer Scotland

Response to Scottish Government Water, Wastewater and Drainage Policy Consultation

Scottish Government Water, Wastewater and Drainage Policy Consultation (HTML) | Consumer Scotland

 

2023

Topic

Publication

Overcoming Barriers to the Adoption of Blue-Green Infrastructure

Overcoming Barriers to the Adoption of Blue-Green Infrastructure | Consumer Scotland

Barriers to Blue-Green Infrastructure: literature review

Overcoming Barriers to the Adoption of Blue-Green Infrastructure | Consumer Scotland

Advice, support and funding needs of private water supply users

Advice, support and funding needs of private water supply users | Consumer Scotland

Supporting sustainable water use among Scotland’s consumers

Supporting sustainable water use among Scotland’s consumers | Consumer Scotland

Scottish Government Water and Sewerage Services to Dwellings Order 2023

Scottish Government Water and Sewerage Services to Dwellings Order 2023 | Consumer Scotland

 

Your right to request a review 

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by writing to;

Sam Ghibaldan,

Chief Executive

Consumer Scotland

Thistle House,

91 Haymarket Terrace

Edinburgh,

EH12 5HD

Or by email to:  corporateservices@consumer.scot

Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 40 working days from the date when you received this letter.  We will complete the review in accordance with FOISA as soon as possible, and not later than 20 working days from the day following the date we receive your review request.  

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.  More detailed information on your appeal rights is available on the Commissioner’s website at:

https://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Unhappywiththeresponse/AppealingtoCommissioner.aspx 

Yours sincerely

[redacted information]

Data Protection Officer

Consumer Scotland

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