Water is a precious and important natural resource. It is vital to life, to Scotland's economy and to our environment.
Water quality and quantity matters to everyone in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has policy responsibility for maintaining and improving the quality of all fresh and marine waters in Scotland, and works closely with a number of partners - including Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and water users - to ensure that our water is kept clean and free of pollution.
River Basin Management Plans set out the Government's vision for improving water quality throughout Scotland.
Flooding can have serious effects on people, homes, businesses, and health.
While flood defences, effective surface water management, flood warnings and other policies can reduce the risk from flooding, these risks can never be completely eliminated.
Through the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, the Scottish Government has introduced a more sustainable and modern approach to flood risk management, suited to the needs of the 21st century and to the impact of climate change.