Rural Scotland People, Prosperity and Partnership

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Rural Water and Sewerage Grants

We fully recognise the high costs of infrastructure in rural areas. In particular, the earlier system of grants has been successful in stimulating the provision of water and sewerage services in rural areas. In place of the grant scheme, we have placed on the new Water Authorities a specific duty to have regard especially to the interests of rural customers and we will take account of this duty in providing resources to the Authorities. Thus the interests of rural customers will be central to the arrangements for service provision put in place by the authorities. We will review the effectiveness of these arrangements after the first year of operation.