Reply to THIS thread
Start a NEW Talkback Thread
Talkback Home

Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Paul2 (6th May 2025 - 17:02:42) This is almost laughable for 2 reasons: 1. Remember how much it rained from last autumn through spring this year?! 2. And, no water company has built any new reservoirs in over 30 years. theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/06/england-faces-drought-summer-reservoir-water-levels-dwindle

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Simon (6th May 2025 - 17:06:37) I think our wonderful water companies lose between 20% - 25% in leaks.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Sam (6th May 2025 - 17:49:48) Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher Sold (privatised) The 10 regional water authorities. Am sure a few brown envelopes got passed around as well. So the root of this particular problem is the conservatives, good job they got booted out as they would be selling off the NHS as we speak to private companies. Water authorities are cause for survival and thus national security and shouldn’t be in the hands of private individuals who’s priority is paying out shareholders and not supplying you clean water.. the companies will come cap in hand to the government for a pay out so they can afford to supply you water.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - D (6th May 2025 - 19:01:42) Sam, Libour have been in power nearly a year now. There comes a point when you have to stop blaming everyone else and take a long look in the mirror.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Steve miller (6th May 2025 - 19:13:15) Hmm. I spent about 30 years working in the Water Industry (as a contractor) and I am always dismayed about how poorly the public understands the industry and how it is regulated. A few facts relating to previous posts:- No reservoirs have been constructed in the UK until very recently (Havant Thicket) because for most of that time it has been politically unacceptable. Some of the Water Plcs have been trying to promote new Reservoir schemes but have been unable to get the necessary political and regulatory support. Leakage is an ever moving target, particularly in areas with clay subsoils such as the Thames basin. For several years the regulator (Ofwat) actually took the position that it was not in customers interests for the Plcs to spend too much on fixing leaks as it was actually cheaper to capture and treat more water to replace that lost through leakage. The main driver for privatisation in the late 1980s was the need to comply with various EU directives relating to the standards of sewage treatment and drinking water quality. The pre privatisation water authorities were starved of funds by governments which tended to prioritise other areas like the NHS and defence and in any case would have been incapable of managing the rapid increase in capital investment needed to avoid breeching the directives. For what it's worth, I believe that privatisation was very successful in the first 10-15 years. Unfortunately after that the clever money men got control of the privatised companies and started loading them with debt which led us the the current crisis in Thames.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - D (7th May 2025 - 08:54:22) My only gripe with water companies is that I have to pay not only for my own usage (which I think is excellent value) but I also have to pay for people who either "can't" or won't pay.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Charlie (7th May 2025 - 10:14:12) Excellent post Steve. D this happens in all walks of life not just with Water Companies. I wake up each morning being thankful for what I have got not worrying about what I haven't. Yes there are free-loaders - there always have been and probably always will be, but there are many people, not just in this Country, but all over the world, through no fault of their own, are enduring terrible hardship. Give a thought to them.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Paul2 (7th May 2025 - 14:34:32) Like Steve, I worked in the water industry for years. Charlie, my point now isn't about numbers of freeloaders, but just to say no water company is allowed cut off water to anyone who can't or won't pay. So no-one in England is ever denied access to clean water. It can only be restricted (in terms of pressure). My point was regardless of politics, our current Govt is convening the National Drought Council without addressing the root causes. I'd imagine Ed Milliband will say the answer is to tax us more in the south!

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - D (7th May 2025 - 14:49:02) The post does refer to this country. As those who pay their way get poorer, those who don't get richer.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Steve miller (7th May 2025 - 17:10:52) Just out of interest Paul2. What do you regard as the root causes🤔

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Sam (7th May 2025 - 17:40:43) I don’t actually support labour, at all, nor did I mention them, so it’s a case of 1+1= 3 from you. All political parties and politicians are awful in this country, am of the opinion that our politics is just a pageant for the working/middle class, something to keep us busy fighting amongst ourselves and divided and I say that as the super rich aren’t bothered or indeed deferent to political classes, they do want they want in terms of tax and influence without a care about the bun fight fascination we all have with labour v conservatives etc. but am always happy to point out as I have done here that the conservatives sold it off, dispute the regulations that inspired the sale the conservatives still made the choice, fix it or flog it and they took the latter option.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - D (15th May 2025 - 08:20:26) I would love to know how much of what I pay for my water, gas, electric and council tax is to pay for those who either won't pay or are on a reduced set amount. People who, when you add up all their other benefits at my cost, are actually on a greater income than I am when I am paying full wack. This is wrong. This isn't socialism , this is spongism.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Iwik 61 (15th May 2025 - 10:03:31) Just to fact check there is a new reservoir being built in Havant

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Paul Robinson (15th May 2025 - 18:11:33) I have today, and for the last few days, travelled from Grayshott to Liphook and driven through three seeping water leaks in the road, and not for the first time. Multiply this across the country and you wonder if the representatives of the water companies have recognised the waste this is causing them, and us, when they suggest that we should turn the tap off when we brush our teeth! Paul Robinson

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Steve miller (15th May 2025 - 19:32:01) Paul For each 5 year regulatory period, the water companies are given targets for leakage reduction. Many millions are spent each year by each supply company in working towards those targets and their performance is monitored annually by Ofwat. Given the average age of the pipes in most of the country, this work is something like 'chasing your tail', particularly in areas with clay subsoils which expand and shrink in wetter and drier years respectively. It would of course be possible to accelerate this work if the public would be prepared to put up with the associated disruption which can be considerable, particularly in larger towns and cities, as the work open involves digging up roads for several days. It should however be recognised that in the event that more effort in this area was to be considered desirable, the not inconsiderable cost of the work inevitably gets added to customers bills.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Paul Robinson (15th May 2025 - 22:45:37) The chief executive of Thames Water, Chris Weston, received a £195,000 bonus just three months into his tenure. Thames Water has faced criticism over executive pay, particularly as it battles £19 billion in debt and rising pollution incidents. Paul Robinson

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Steve miller (16th May 2025 - 09:38:51) I have no idea whether Mr Weston's pay package is justified but it is obvious that the task of trying to get Thames Water through it's current crisis must be extremely demanding and stressful. My main beef with the whole issue around dividends and fat cat salaries in the water plcs is that it distracts media attention from a more serious analysis of the real underlying issues faced by the industry. These are clearly going to be exacerbated by a changing climate. Maybe re nationalisation is part of the answer although it should be recognised that Welsh Water (not for profit model) and Scottish Water (still publicly owned) have very much the same problems as the English Water Plcs.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Local A (16th May 2025 - 12:58:26) People in my street watering their back lawns with high tech gizmos throughout the day just to get it a little bit greener looking, my local golf course using industrial sprinklers and I was doing some work at the races recently they had gigantic moving water machines chucking out about a squiilion gallons a yard throughout the day, the rich filling up their duck ponds and swimming pools, the shareholders of the water companies pocketing millions, I hope the government address all that lot before they tell me not to bathe or wash my car once a fortnight with my hose pipe fitted with an eco friendly sprinkle gun, when they'll kindly allow me to use a car wash anyway!

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Simon (16th May 2025 - 13:43:02) I don't know if anyone else saw the recent BBC2 doc following Chris Weston and some of the Thames Water team. He didn't appear to be doing much other than visiting sites and making Youtube videos. Apparently he told an APPG this week that he has 'restored confidence throughout the entire TW team' which turned out to be that he sent an email to all staff telling them what a wonderful job they are doing.

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - Grape (16th May 2025 - 15:12:01) Simon, I wouldn't waste any time following BBC news if you want to know what's new. The BBC is corrupt, biased and totally out of control. They're awful!

Re: Drought predicted for summer 2025 - D (16th May 2025 - 18:34:43) I couldn't give a monkey's what anyone is paid. What I do give a monkey's about is that my bill would be less if I weren't paying for all these spongers (no pun intended).

Reply to THIS thread
Talkback Home