Scottish Water bosses receive ‘eye-watering’ £250,000 in bonuses
Hikes follow increase in annual household payments of £42
Scottish Water bosses received more than £250,000 in bonuses over the last year, the public body’s latest accounts show.
Chief executive Alex Plant was given £115,000 on top of his £315,000 salary, with his total remuneration package standing at £432,000, including pensions and benefits.
Chief financial officer Alan Dingwall was given a £79,000 bonus on top of his £217,000 salary, with a total remuneration of £363,000.
Chief operating officer Peter Farrer received a £64,000 bonus on top of his £176,000 salary, with a total pay package of £280,000.
Overall, the three men were given £258,000 in performance payments.
It comes after water bills were hiked 8.7 per cent in April, costing the average household £42 more each year.
The Liberal Democrats accused the Scottish Government of “rewarding their water company for failure”.
MSP Sanne Dijkstra-Downie said: “Scottish Water is paying out enormous bonuses to bosses who are presiding over filthy sewage dumps and hitting customers with bigger bills.
“Sewage dumping in Scotland is still governed by 30-year-old sewage rules which the Government’s own watchdog says are failing.
“To turn the tide on the sewage scandal, Scottish Liberal Democrats have published plans for a Clean Water Act that would bring our sewage network into the 21st century, clamp down on dumping and get to the bottom of this disgusting practice.”
Dame Jackie Baillie, acting leader of Scottish Labour, said: “These are eye-watering sums for Scottish Water bosses to be picking up.
“It is not right that rich executives are handed massive payouts such as these when people across Scotland are struggling to afford the basics.
“It is why Scottish Labour has called for an end to above-inflation water bill hikes, and a restriction on bonuses for those at the top of Scottish Water.”
A Scottish Water spokeswoman said: “Performance-related payments are part of an organisation-wide scheme that applies across Scottish Water.
“It is not automatic and is payable only if the organisation meets performance targets.
“In 2025/26, Scottish Water delivered its second-best year for operational performance, including record customer satisfaction, its lowest ever number of serious pollution incidents, high drinking water quality, and continued progress on the largest investment programme in its history.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Scottish Water is subject to independent economic regulation, one of the most transparent and demanding improvement regimes of any public body in Scotland.
“We expect it to continue outperforming the tough efficiency targets set by its regulator.
“Like any large organisation, Scottish Water must compete with the private sector to attract and retain the skilled people needed to run the business and deliver the improvements government has asked for.
“Bonuses are only paid when demanding, independently verified targets are exceeded.
“The remuneration package for the chief executive and senior team, including salary and bonus, remains significantly lower than at comparable utility companies.”
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