Scots expertise in water usage can be 'exported to rest of world'

A CLIMATE change consultancy providing services to the UK government says water usage is "at least as big an issue as energy" in ensuring the world's future and that Scotland should nurture its competitive edge in it.

Andrew McCree, Scots-born chief executive of AEA Technology, which has a major office in Glengarnock, said he believed Scotland's publicly-owned water industry should build a potential commercial global advantage.

McCree said the industry was in a strong position to create intellectual property and industrial infrastructure around new technologies for water efficiency.

"One of Scotland's advantages is its high historical rainfall," he said. "Secondly, the fact that the water industry here is in public hands means a whole suite of intellectual property rights could be created around new technologies for us to use less water in what we produce."

That expertise could then be exported, he added.

McCree said this had strong commercial potential for Scotland as it was estimated that by 2030 half the world's population would be living in areas of chronic water shortage.

He said "indirect water consumption" in what industry produces would increasingly become a major issue, citing the 400,000 litres used in the production of a car.

McCree argued that the Scottish water industry's public ownership created a strong opportunity "to align our universities and the industry to develop intellectual property (around water technology]".

He said he understood the periodic arguments for privatisation of Scottish Water, such as increased efficiency and investment.

But McCree added: "If you take a longer-term view it (public ownership] creates an export opportunity for Scotland in this key natural resource."