Scottish Water has warned that, without major changes, the funding needed to deliver sustainable services over the next 25 years “would require around £50 billion to be invested in water and waste water services.”

The publicly-owned utility has launched a seven-week consultation asking people to help shape its planning for the next 25 years.

Scottish Water said: “We hope that by driving further innovation, more collaboration with other sectors, and helping customers to think about the way they use water – such as using less and doing more to prevent leaks and environment pollution – we can reduce the amount needed to invest in its assets, keeping customer bills as low as possible.”

Scottish Water said it is calling on everyone in Scotland to “rethink their relationship with water and about how they use it” in the face of growing challenges.

“As a publicly-owned utility, we’re urging our customers to have their say on how the country’s water – nature’s most precious resource – should be managed now and in the future.

“People are being asked to give their views on the priorities needed to safeguard Scotland’s water supplies in the face of challenges including more extreme weather, the need to update aging water and waste water assets, and keeping up with population growth and change, with more people moving from west to east …

“The Long-Term Strategy, Our Sustainable Future Together, will set out how we plan to ensure Scotland’s water and waste water services continue to be sustainable, resilient and affordable for generations to come.”

Scottish Water CEO Alex Plant said: “As a nation we all need to rethink our relationship with water – how much we use, what we flush down the toilet, how we manage where rainwater drains to, and how all of this affects our precious natural environment.

“We know the Scotland of 2050 will look different from how it does now, and this will affect us all. The challenges we face, most acutely from the more extreme weather patterns that are now the norm, will mean we all need to think about water, waste water and drainage very differently. And that is not just us as a vital service provider but everyone in Scotland, as we all need water for our everyday lives.

“The future is challenging but there are opportunities ahead too. This strategy proposes that we become bolder and more innovative in the way we face these issues and find new and lasting solutions to ensure Scotland continues to grow and flourish.

“We want to help lead and inspire by delivering cost-effective and sustainable solutions which can benefit customers and communities across the country and safeguard our natural environment. I’m keen to hear views from people across the country about the approach we are proposing.”