Pearl Machray from Business Stream took the five-minute slot and told us about the background to Business Stream - a Scottish Water company. Scottish Water was recognised by the EU as a monopoly and was opened up to competition. As the risk of waterborne contamination and pollution was too high, only the retail element of the business was identified as being suitable. Responsibility for treatment and transport of water and waste water remained with the wholesaler, Scottish Water.

Business Stream has split from Scottish Water and is one of a licensed providers which can offer water and waste water services. Business Stream currently holds around 98% of the business. As the market matures it expects to lose customers but intends to grow in the area of value added services e.g. leak detection, smart meters, water audits etc.

Pearl stressed the importance of customers taking time to understand and check their bills. They can appear complicated but it is important so that customers are charged correctly. Current cost for 1 metre cubed water and its disposal is around £2.00 (this figure does not include standing charges). 1m cubed - 1000 litres is good value compared to bottled water.

Pearl encouraged us to use water efficiently and check for leakage. A tap that drips once a second wastes 33 litres a day - cost of over £20/year. Average use per person in Scotland is 146 litres/day. Water is around 20% of our utility budget.

The BigSplash is an initiative by Envirowise to provide companies in Scotland with dedicated help in their efforts to reduce their water use and waste water. Companies can request BigSplash services online to receive FREE, tailored advice.