WIREDGOV

A three-year contract for water and waste water services has been awarded to Business Stream after the Scottish Government tendered the first national water contract to maximise value for money in the public sector.

It is estimated that between £18.6 million and £24.5 million of savings will be delivered throughout the contract, which begins on April 1. It represents around 20 per cent of the Scottish market.

Infrastructure Minister Keith Brown said:

"Delivering savings of this kind has never been more important, as we deal with the consequences of the biggest reduction in public spending imposed on Scotland by any UK Government.

"The national tendering exercise has encouraged competition to clinch the best possible deal for taxpayers.

"This is a significant contract and it highlights the vital role for the water industry in providing high quality and efficient water services."

The £220 million contract also provides a range of additional services to support the reduction in water usage across the public sector including:

• Free Automatic Meter Reading (smart meters)
• Leak detection and repair
• Benchmarking services
• Tariff optimisation
• Water audits
• Water saving devices
• Waste minimisation advice

Since 2008, the Scottish Government has developed and implemented procurement strategies for national commodities on behalf of all Scottish public sector organisations. It has already, for example, delivered national procurement contracts for the bulk-buying of gas and electricity that meets over 98 per cent of public sector demand in Scotland, while providing annual savings of around £10 million for electricity and £5 million for gas.