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New Technical Bulletins and GCS Submission Requirements Published

Scottish Water has published a series of new and updated Technical Bulletins to provide additional guidance and clarification on specific areas of Sewers for Scotland 4 (SfS4) and Water for Scotland 4 (WfS4). These documents supplement the existing standards and should be read alongside the relevant SfS4 and WfS4 requirements.

The updates include:

SUDS Access Bulletin (TB001 v2) – Updated guidance on access arrangements, vehicle movements and surface finish requirements for ponds and basins. 

WWPS Access Bulletin (TB002 v1) – New guidance clarifying tanker access, parking and maintenance requirements for Wastewater Pumping Stations.

GCS Storage Bulletin (TB003 v1) – New guidance covering the design, maintenance and adoption requirements for Geocellular Storage (GCS) systems.

Asset Policy Standard – Water Mains Protection v2 – Updated requirements for water main protection, access corridors and stand-off distances.

Important Update - GCS Design Submissions

From 1 September 2026, all developments proposing Geocellular Storage (GCS) assets must submit a completed GCS Design Checklist as part of the Technical Approval process. The checklist has been introduced to support consistent design submissions and demonstrate compliance with Scottish Water's GCS requirements. 

The new and updated guidance documents can be accessed from the Guidance Documents section of the Connecting to our Network page.

Annual Development Forum 2026

Our 2026 Annual Development Forum at Dunblane Hydro brought together colleagues and partners from across the development and construction sector to explore how we can continue to enable development in challenging times, through open discussion shared insight and collaboration.

Building on the success of previous forums, the event provided an opportunity to hear updates on priorities, explore key challenges, and take part in constructive conversations on how development can continue to be supported across Scotland. Sessions encouraged engagement, honest dialogue, and practical thinking, with valuable contributions from both Scottish Water colleagues and external partners.

Delegates took part in an informative and engaging programme of discussions, including presentations from CEO Alex Plant, Chief Operating Officer Peter Farrer, and Development Services & Operations General Manager Mark Hunter. They covered a range of topics related to our strategic vision, challenges we face, and updates on our current projects.

If you are part of the Development and Construction Sector and think the content of our Forums may be of interest, please get in touch with us via email at: DevelopmentServicesEvents@scottishwater.co.uk.