meters is expected by 2033, with Scottish Water prioritising areas where the need is greatest, such as regions facing water scarcity.

While the programme remains subject to final funding being approved by the regulator (WICS), smart metering represents a major step forward in how we monitor and manage water use. Once connected, smart meters will provide near real-time data, enabling:

• more accurate billing based on actual usage, and
• access to more granular consumption data - helping to identify leaks, reduce waste, and lower costs.

We are at the beginning of this journey so while change won’t happen overnight, I’m confident that together we can deliver the improvements and resilience our sector needs at this critical time. To help ensure accurate meter reads in the interim, we’re still continuing to use and install Automated Meter Readers (AMRs). 

If you’d like to learn more, our next Scotland public sector webinar at the end of April will cover the smart meter rollout in detail. You’ll receive an invitation soon and we'd be delighted for you to join us.

Amanda Scovell

Director of Operations

Achieving EcoVadis 83/100 | Global sustainability

Read the press release here →

Our current Career Ready students graduated from the programme earlier in March at an event held at Natwest's Gogarburn Conference Centre. We're wishing them the best of luck for the future. 

And we’re looking forward to welcoming our six new Career Ready students who are already being mentored by our colleagues and will be joining us in June for their four-week paid work placements.  

During their placement, the students will take part in group projects, skills sessions and one-to-one networking opportunities designed to help develop their skills and build their confidence. As always, they'll be supported by our dedicated mentors and from colleagues across the business. We're really looking forward to welcoming them to Business Stream!  

Inspiring tomorrow's sustainability leaders

During January, our Head of ESG, Sophia Goring, attended The Gordon Schools in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, to support our partnership with Powering Futures. 

Sophia assisted in running a class as students were set sustainability challenges, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices to the next generation. This was a fantastic day of collaboration, learning and looking to the future!  

Sophia has since joined the class virtually to help them prepare for their presentations and will be a judge, alongside our Learning and Development Manager, Ingrid Campbell, at the final judging day in late March. 

Customer satisfaction survey | January results

We'd like to say a huge thank you to all customers who completed our third digital Customer Satisfaction Survey which was issued by Dodds and Law Research Associates in early January.  

We're pleased to share that the satisfaction score has increased from 83% in August 2024 (62 respondents) to 85% in June 2025 (53 respondents) to 88% in January 2026 (59 respondents). 

We’ve gathered some really valuable feedback through the surveys including areas we can improve on. Key findings included:    

• Satisfaction is highest for ‘account management’ (68%), ‘customer service’ (59%) and ‘billing process' (61%).   
  
  

• Dissatisfaction most common with ‘billing process’ (24%) and ‘problem enquiry handling' (19%)​.  
  
  

• Increased use of ‘My Business Stream’ (90%). Commonly to ‘view/pay bills’ or ‘​submit meter readings’​.  

We’re always open to hearing your ideas so please get in touch with your dedicated Account Manager if you have anything you want to raise.    

Fresh insights | Join our upcoming expert-led, interactive webinars

We recently invited you to our next webinar - Applying to our Water Efficiency Fund - which took place on Monday, 30 March, providing a run through of the application process for this year’s Fund launching in early April 2026. If you were unable to attend, you can view a recording of the webinar on our Useful Resources webpage by clicking the button below and going to the 'Videos' drop down. 

We'll be in touch in the new financial year to invite you to our next webinar which will cover the rollout of smart meters.  And if there are any topics you'd like us to cover for the year 2026/27, please let your Account Manager know. 

There will be a recording of this webinar uploaded to our Useful Resources webpage too.

Water Efficiency Fund | Open to applications from 1 April 2026    

Our PSS Account Managers have now started getting in touch to let you know that applications are opening for the next Water Efficiency Fund on Wednesday, 1 April.

To submit an application for your water efficiency project, please complete the application form you receive from us and return it to solutions@business-stream.co.uk or PSS team, PO Box 17381, Edinburgh, EH12 1GT.

Please submit your application(s) by Friday, 29 May 2026.

Missed the PIA/deposit discount deadline? | You can still secure the benefits for 2026/27

If you're not currently utilising a payment-in-advance (PIA) or deposit payment arrangement for your services with us, your account manager will have recently been in touch to remind you of the options and associated discounts available to you across the 2026/27 financial year.

If you missed the deadline of Tuesday, 31 March to take advantage of this, we can still support you with quarterly or six-monthly payment arrangement options. This is the perfect time to make sure you’re getting the best value from your water services so, to help you make the most of these options, we've outlined what's available below with the associated discount.

•  Deposit options (up to 4.5% additional discount)  
•  Payment in Advance (PIA) options (up to 2.8% additional discount)  

You should have received a personalised Cost Forecast and Options Form so you can select the approach which delivers the best value for your organisation. If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, please reach out to your Account Manager directly who will be happy to help. 

Unsure about the estimated consumption on your invoice?

When our meter readers visit your premises, they can’t always take a reading - for example, if they can’t access the meter. In these cases, we have to estimate your usage. If it’s safe, you can take your own reading to check that it matches our estimate. If you’re unsure where your meter is located, we can tell you or we can arrange an appointment to access the property and take the reading for you. Please contact your Account Manager for support. 

Getting in touch with us

If you have any questions about your account, please speak to your Account Manager or Case Owner. You can also call or send an email to our dedicated team using the buttons below.