Wessex water will be the latest provider to gain a licence to operate in the competitive Scottish business water market.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) will next week approve the English firm to compete against five rivals to provide water to companies north of the border.

The Bath-based company said its foray into the Scottish market would let it gain experience before the larger English market is opened up to competition as expected.

Currently, water companies in England and Wales are allowed to compete only for large-scale businesses — only around 2,500 companies meet the specific criteria.

Keith Harris, director of finance and policy at Wessex, said: “We believe there will be great competition in the water market throughout Great Britain. It is important for a company to be in a position where it can compete for business and improve service levels and we are determined to be part of that.

“We feel that working in Scotland at an early stage will be good for us.”

Alan Sutherland, chief executive of WICS, said: “Clearly, we in Scotland, and also companies such as Wessex, see the markets in England opening up as important.

“There are lots of customers which have branches and production facilities in Scotland and there are economies and benefits of scale which will be truly realised only when we have a bigger market.”

Scotland’s water market was the first to be deregulated when it opened up 18 months ago. Glasgow-based Aimera entered the Scottish market earlier this month, joining Business Stream, Ondeo, Osprey Water and Satec.

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