Edinburgh-headquartered water retailer Business Stream tapped for £240m Scottish public sector contract

Key further focus on “delivering water efficiencies to help further reduce costs”.

Jo Dow, head of Business Stream, says: 'We have a vast amount of experience of working with the public sector to deliver cost savings and environmental efficiencies.' Picture: contributed.

Edinburgh-headquartered Business Stream, which says it is the UK’s longest-established water retailer, has secured a £240 million contract that will see it continue to provide water and waste water billing services for Scotland’s public sector.

The organisation, which was formed in 2006 and is part of Scottish Water, has after a competitive tender process been awarded the Scottish Government’s Water and Waste Water Services Framework contract, which will run for the next three years with an extension option. The agreement will see the retailer deliver relevant services to parties north of the Border including all 32 local authorities, NHS Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue, Police Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service, universities and colleges and the Scottish Government.

Jo Dow, head of Business Stream, whose other clients have included bakery giant Greggs, cheered the securing of the Framework. “We have a vast amount of experience of working with the public sector to deliver cost savings and environmental efficiencies and we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership,” she said. “Our focus will remain on delivering water efficiencies to help further reduce costs, while building on the community benefits and Fair Work First programme we’ve delivered to date.”

Business Stream said it saved the public sector nearly £3m in 2022/23, while the water saved during the period equated to enough to fill 546 Olympic swimming pools. The company also recently announced it had become carbon neutral certified following its partnership with climate action specialists Ecologi, and cut its emissions by 50 per cent last year. The retailer also said the result, measured from April 2022 to April 2023, exceeded its promise to cut emissions by 20 per cent during the 12-month period.

A Scottish Government spokesperson stated: “Following a competitive tender process with an evaluation based on price and quality, the Scottish Water Business Stream offering was selected as best value for the Scottish public purse.” The Scottish retail water market opened in 2008, with England’s following suit in 2017, and where its contracts secured include one with Ancala Water Services worth more than £45m.