“No doubt ministers will again defend these indefensible payments, but the sums involved remain obscene.”

Other Scottish Water executives were also rewarded with performance bonuses.

Operating Officer Peter Farrer was given a £64,000 bonus to boost his £176,000 salary. His total pay, pension and bonus deal came to £280,000.

Chief Financial Officer Alan Dingwall received a £217,000 salary and a £79,000 bonus, with his remuneration package reaching £363,000.

The Board of Scottish Water announced in January that household water and wastewater bills would rise by an average of £42 per year from April.

In 2025, figures revealed that sewage sites run by Scottish Water had been found to be non-compliant with their licenses 254 times in just three years.

Scottish Labour acting leader Jackie Baillie, pictured right,  said: “These are eye-watering sums for Scottish Water bosses to be picking up.

“It is not right that rich executives are handed massive payouts such as these when people across Scotland are struggling to afford the basics.

“It is why Scottish Labour has called for an end to above-inflation water bill hikes, and a restriction on bonuses for those at the top of Scottish Water.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Sanne Dijkstra-Downie said: “The SNP government is rewarding their water company for failure. Scottish Water are paying out enormous bonuses to bosses who are presiding over filthy sewage dumps and hitting customers with bigger bills.

“Sewage dumping in Scotland is still governed by 30-year-old sewage rules which the government’s own watchdog says are failing.

“To turn the tide on the sewage scandal, Scottish Liberal Democrats have published plans for a Clean Water Act that would bring our sewage network into the 21st century, clamp down on dumping and get to the bottom of this disgusting practice.”

Greer said: “We are told the bonuses are justified because Scottish Water is meeting its targets, but that is only possible because of the skill, experience and commitment of our members. It is their work that demands to be fairly rewarded.”

Tory MSP Liam Kerr, left,  said: “Scottish Water bosses are trousering bumper bonuses while customers are being forced to pay more for their water.

“The whole situation exposes a lack of accountability – the SNP must set out how it intends to ensure higher standards for the public, not just higher bonuses for executives.”

Plant said: “This was a year that really tested us. We experienced Scotland’s driest start to a year since 1964, followed by periods of intense rainfall and flooding.

“However, every single day our teams and delivery partners kept water flowing, treated wastewater, protected the environment, and supported communities across the country.

“I’m incredibly proud that we delivered another very strong performance while achieving record customer satisfaction and reducing serious environmental pollution incidents to their lowest level ever.

“We’re also determined to be open about where we need to improve. Leakage remains one of our biggest challenges and, while drinking water quality remains very high at 99.92% compliance, warmer, drier weather, ageing infrastructure and changing raw water quality are increasing the pressure on our services. That is why we must keep investing, innovating and improving.”

The plant can’t possibly be “extremely proud” that a large portion of the work delegated to Scottish Water is being carried out by volunteers such as Tam Towie, who has been keeping the foreshore at Havoc in Dumbarton clean of the flotsam and jetsam, litter and stinking overspill from their Ardoch Treatment Plant.

Tam said: “I am doing my best down here, but it’s a relentless, never-ending job, with which I now get help from the Friends of the Foreshore, who are brilliant.”

Friends of Dumbarton Foreshore on a clean-up with, bottom right, items thrown down the toilet that end up on the shore at Havoc. Dumbarton.