Scot Lib Dems urge First Minister to justify Scottish Water bonuses
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and party environmental spokesperson Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP have today written to the First Minister, pressing him for a justification of the bonuses paid to Scottish Water executives amid huge sewage dumps and beach closures.
Recently published figures revealed that last year, Scottish Water bosses have received more than £250,000 in bonuses.
This included Chief Executive Alex Plant receiving £115,000 on top of his £315,000 salary, Chief Financial Officer Alan Dingwall receiving a £79,000 bonus on top of his £217,000 salary, and Chief Operating Officer Peter Farrer receiving a £64,000 bonus on top of his £176,000 salary.
Sewage leaked into Scottish waters at least 23,672 times in 2025, discharging 22 billion litres of waste water into rivers, lochs and seas. New research has also suggested that almost all raw sewage spills in Scotland could be illegal.
In July, pollution led to closures in Portobello Central Beach, Kinghorn Harbour Beach and Saltcoats Beach.
Portobello Central Beach was closed following the discovery of E.coli levels in the water, which were 10 times over the safe limit.
The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs’ letter to the First Minister is as follows:
Dear John,
We are writing to you following the publication of Scottish Water’s annual report, which included the executive members’ renumeration for 2026.
The report shows that executive members have received more than £250,000 in bonuses over the past year. It comes at a time when billions of litres of sewage are being discharged into Scotland’s rivers, lochs and beaches every year. New research has also suggested that almost all raw sewage spills in Scotland could be illegal.
Meanwhile, ongoing pollution incidents at Portobello Beach, a designated bathing water, have led to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) advising the public against entering the water. Indeed, analysis has found that Portobello Beach recorded E.coli levels ten times above the safe limit. Wardie Bay, a popular wild swimming spot in the north of the city, has also experienced problems with water pollution, with a sewage pollution alert issued this month.
The continued water-quality issues at Kinghorn Beach means that the site faces being stripped of its designated bathing water status if it receives a fifth successive “poor” SEPA rating. The watchdog said that the water could be a risk to human and animal health.
As you will be aware, the bonuses paid to Scottish Water are only to be payable if the organisation meets its performance targets, which includes measures like customer satisfaction and a reduction in incidents. It is extremely difficult, therefore, to understand why such high bonuses continue to be paid when sewage discharges are consistently high and popular beaches are being forced to close.
Indeed, these bonuses will simply seem unjustifiable, especially for the many people who have been directly impacted by sewage problems and pollution at some of the country’s most beloved bathing spots. It is not at all clear how Scottish Water, a public body, is being properly held to account when these bonuses persist despite consistently disappointing performance.
Will you, therefore, explain why such high bonuses continue to be paid out and what, if any, consideration is given to significant factors like sewage dumps and beach closures in the decision to pay them?
We look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Cole-Hamilton
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and MSP for Edinburgh North Western
Sanne Dijkstra-Downie
Scottish Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh Northern