Community perspectives on sustainable water services in rural Scotland

As water resources become more challenged, significant effort is being invested in developing novel technologies and management approaches to deliver more sustainable water services. The challenge can be particularly acute for rural communities, where low population densities and dispersed infrastructure make it particularly difficult to deliver cost-effective water services. There is a pressing need to explore innovative solutions for water services in rural areas. However, along with the technical challenges, there are key governance questions that warrant exploration. In particular, there is a need for a better understanding of community expectations towards water services, and whether/how community members might adopt a greater role in their management. These questions have become increasingly relevant as technological developments have made it possible to explore more decentralized solutions, such as assets that require little or no maintenance over extended periods, as well as innovative modular treatment options. There are also growing opportunities to explore more integrated ‘closed loop’ solutions (e.g. energy and nutrient recovery). However, understanding the true potential of such solutions is challenging due to the complexity of the governance and social factors at work. This project aims to develop a better understanding of community perspectives on, and expectations towards, sustainable rural water services, in order to help develop and deliver the most appropriate sustainable technological solutions and management approaches. To that end, working closely with Scottish Water, community members and other stakeholders (e.g. SEPA, local authorities) in an identified pilot community, this project will explore: How ‘sustainability’, along with the nature and scope of ‘water services’, is understood in the context of rural communities How community members perceive their involvement...