Scottish Water published a notice on 4 September 2026 for Network Leakage Management Services, a framework estimated at £400 million, or about £50 million a year, over 8 to 12 years. The formal procurement is expected in January 2027.
What the framework covers
The scope runs from leak detection and investigation through network monitoring and analytics to find-and-fix repairs, emergency response and network flushing. The model is outcome-based, with suppliers rewarded for leakage reduction. A market day was planned for 8 October 2026, and tenders will run through Scottish Water's Atamis e-sourcing portal.
Why leakage is the pressure point
Leakage stood at 453 Ml/d in FY 2025/26, against an in-year target of 450 Ml/d, and has barely moved since 2023/24. The regulator's June 2026 Draft Determination proposes a final target of 369 Ml/d in 2032-33, while Scottish Water's own plan aims for a 10% reduction by 2033.
Where else the market is open
The leakage framework sits beside a £60 million filtration media framework for up to four suppliers, whose tenders closed on 2 October 2026. Most capital work for 2027–33 is already allocated: seven partners in the £5–9 billion DV4 "Enterprise" are to deliver a third of the period's investment from April 2027.
The budget behind it
The regulator's Final Determination, now due on 12 November 2026, sets the money. Its draft supports £7,946 million of investment in 2024-25 prices at a charge cap of CPI + 2% a year, against the £8.1 billion and CPI + 3.3% Scottish Water proposed.
Which programmes beyond leakage are open to new suppliers, who holds the incumbent frameworks, and where to focus first are among the questions the full brief answers. The full report, Scottish Water: Utility Account Brief, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Scottish Water Utility Snapshot.