SCOTTISH Water bosses are being paid “obscene bonuses” totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, despite the cost-of-living crisis and an upcoming increase in water bills, Labour analysis shows.

Scotland’s water industry is owned by taxpayers, while in England and Wales the industry is run by profit-driven privateers.

But despite public ownership, Scottish Water’s top bosses received the bonuses on top of their six-figure salaries.

Scottish Labour said the total bonuses had doubled since the last handout, and that three top executives received £227,000 between them.

Senior executives Douglas Millican, Peter Farrer and Allan Scott received bonuses of £92,000, £68,000 and £67,000 respectively on top of their salaries of £267,000, £197,000 and £195,000.

Labour said that Scottish Water also has £500 million in reserves and called for a £100 rebate to be given to bill payers.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “It is obscene that high-paid execs are being handed bonuses three times the size of the average salary at taxpayers’ expense while people across Scotland struggle to make ends meet.

“The Scottish National Party are piling pressure onto those who can least afford it by nodding through hikes to water charges.

“These eye-watering sums make a mockery of the SNP’s pretence that they can’t spare a penny to freeze water charges or give people a rebate.

“The SNP are responsible for Scottish Water — they must show some leadership and put struggling families first by delivering a £100 rebate for every household.”

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Executive pay and performance incentives are in line with arrangements approved by the Scottish Water board and the Scottish government.

“The package for the Scottish Water chief executive is significantly lower than that of other water company chief executives elsewhere in the UK’s water industry sector.”