Water companies damned (yet again...! )

Subject: Water companies damned (yet again...! ) Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:11 pm

See here:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/03/water-companies-polluting-rivers-beaches

Subject: Re: Water companies damned (yet again...! ) Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:42 pm

Thanks Barry

Cheaper to pollute than improve infrastructure Evil or Very Mad

Need those fines to be huge so is a detterant rather than a few drinks at the xmas party

Posts : 738 Join date : 2011-11-14 Location : Kingston

Agree Dave, this is about putting the proper deterrents in place to incentivise the water companies to invest in infrastructure improvements.

Water companies are companies. They will do what it takes inside the law, and sometimes outside the law, to make a profit. There is no getting away from that. Especially as many are now at least in part owned by international investors with no interest in the UK environment.

What is needed is tougher regulation and, as Dave points out, heavier fines on water companies found to be polluting.

Subject: Re: Water companies damned (yet again...! ) Mon Aug 05, 2013 9:42 am

Definitely, the regulator of any privatised infrastructure must be tough and uncompromising, sadly successive governments have gradually let that slip and now in many areas, "soft touch" regulation has become the norm, it's become a problem everywhere, water, rail, gas, electricity, airports, also financial services.

Posts : 738 Join date : 2011-11-14 Location : Kingston

Ed Randall wrote:: Definitely, the regulator of any privatised infrastructure must be tough and uncompromising, sadly successive governments have gradually let that slip and now in many areas, "soft touch" regulation has become the norm, it's become a problem everywhere, water, rail, gas, electricity, airports, also financial services.

To be fair Ed, I think the rail regulator is pretty tough in terms of imposing fines for late running trains, service failures etc. The problem is that the whole industry structure is such a mess.

But in general, I think you're right, some of these regulators definitely need to turn the screws.

Subject: Re: Water companies damned (yet again...! ) Mon Aug 05, 2013 12:44 pm

Another article here:
http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/news_story.asp?id=199033&title=Water+companies+fined+a+%27pitiful%27+%26%23163%3B3.5m+for+1%2C000+pollution+incidents

Is it possible that the general public are finally becoming aware of these problems - personally, I doubt it - but if the press keep this up we might see a change in attitudes...........

Subject: Re: Water companies damned (yet again...! ) Mon Aug 05, 2013 9:20 pm

Couple more in the Guardian over the last few days Barry as well.

Political pressure mounting on polluting water companies

&

How UK water companies are polluting rivers and beaches

Richard

» Britain's largest water companies pay little or no tax
» Britain's rivers 'being ruined by demands of water companies'
» Successful Sewage Discharge Appeal from Water Companies
» Free water saving devices form Thames Water
» Water companies may hide their dirty secrets rules information tribunial