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Tie-in and Connection Process and System Updates (Dec 2022)

Scottish Water has introduced several process and system changes to its Tie-in and Connections processes with the aim to ease processing and delivery of Tie-in, ensuring that these can be managed on a proactive and planned basis going forward.

The 3 key changes are detailed below: 

1. Changes to notice required in advance of pre-connection sampling. 
The below listed notice periods for inspections requests have been enforced via the SW Development Services Portal. 

• 10 working days in advance of pre-connection sampling for all secondary connections. 
• 20 working days in advance of pre-connection sampling for all primary connections.
• 20 working days in advance of proposed connection date for advanced connections.

2. Changes to the process of obtaining pre and post sample numbers for new water main connections, to be analysed by Scottish Water. 

• Sample numbers will now be requested by Scottish Water Development Operations via your tie in confirmation email and will be provided via the same email by Scientific Services Sample Requisition Team within 5 working days. Sample numbers will no longer be given via phone call to scientific services.

3. System updates to the Scottish Water Portal 

• Ability to submit advanced connection requests via the portal, removing the requirement for offline/emailed pro-formas for advance connections. 
• Introduction of additional questions for inspection requests to aid effective workload management.
• Visibility and editability of inspection requests submitted via the customer portal, to allow visibility of inspection request details on the portal, their status, and the ability to amend inspection dates as necessary without need to email the Development Operations Mailbox. 
• Improved document Search functionality on the customer portal, allowing search by document name.
• Change in naming convention of remote inspections submissions visible on the portal. 
  - Remote inspection submissions visible on the portal are now named in accordance with the inspection type and step for which the submission was made.  
• “Results reported to field” on remote inspections app
  - To allow remote inspections app users to select a relevant contact who they would like to be informed of the results of that inspection. 

For more in-depth information please click here or contact developmentservicesbusinessimprovement@scottishwater.co.uk.

Retail Standard Water Connections – Process Change (Nov 2022)

As part of our ongoing effort to improve the service we provide, over the past 11 months we have been running a pilot in relation to processing retail water standard connections in certain areas of the country.

Up until now, we have seen substantial benefits from both internal and customer perspectives. This has been largely thanks to carrying out onsite inspections for all retail applications. This has helped improve the turnaround time at connection stage, and KPI performance for creation supply points IDs (SPIDs) and meter registration on the Central Marketing Agency (CMA).

As a result, with immediate effect all track inspection requests for retail water standard connections should be submitted to retail.connections@scottishwater.co.uk  and inspections will be physically undertaken onsite.

This may have a slight impact on timescales however, we will endeavour to undertake all onsite inspection as quickly as possible and within the 5-day KPI for physical onsite inspections. This is in line with retail sewer connections where a physical inspection is carried out.

Please note that the above email address should be used for correspondence relating to retail connections once the quote has been accepted e.g., pressure tests, inspections. This will allow us greater visibility and prioritisation of retail work, as there is a large incoming volume to the main development operations address. Please only use this one address without copying in other Scottish Water addresses. 

We created a good practice retail inspections and connections guide to assist you click here to view.

If you have any queries, issues, or concerns with any of the above, please contact our dedicated freephone helpline on 08003890379 where one of our contact team will endeavour to answer your query.