Why are the water companies private? — Forum Archive

15 Jul 2006, 01:52

Utterly off-topic, but this is the only forum I have to rant and rave in...

I'm getting really peed off with the patronising advice from Thames Water about rubbish like not leaving the tap running when brushing your teeth. I mean they lose a third of their supply in unfixed leaks, they charge me a bleedin' fortune for the quite small amount of water I use (small flat, no garden), and its a fixed charge that bears no relation to the amount of water I use, and I can't very well switch supplier - but still the incompetent buggers can't even guarantee a constant supply.

On the one hand they charge me all that money on the grounds that they are supplying me the water, then on the other when they _can't_ supply it they deny its anything to do with them and blame God or the weather. If it’s God/nature that's responsible then what am I paying all this money to Thames water for?

What I can't figure out is why water was privatised in the first place. It makes no sense at all. Sure, private is _sometimes_ more efficient than public, but that's because of the effects of competition, and there is _no_ competition in water - they are all monopolies. Or are we all supposed to bathe and flush our toilets with Perrier instead?

Then they say it’s because it allowed outside investors to provide the 'needed investment' in the water infrastructure. But that explanation makes absolutely no sense either. The government could have made that investment, either by borrowing at cheaper rates than private companies can, or by raising taxes. Oh, they say, raising taxes is bad - but then how is it any different when the water companies raise the water rates, which are to all intents and purposes a tax, not a charge (zero competition and no relationship to consumption). The only difference is that with the private companies there is no democratic control, no relationship between tax and income, and a huge chunk of the tax goes into the pockets of private shareholders.

On top of all that it now seems 3 major water companies have allegedly committed fraud by falsifying figures to fool the toothless regulator. All while they make record profits.

Also all the southeast 'licences to steal' aka water companies are owned by the French and Germans, while _their_ water companies are of course not up for grabs - they being much less stupid than us.

15 Jul 2006, 08:12

Here we don't have any water company... it's the cities that are taking care of this.

And there is no water tax as well. But once again, we're the biggest tax payers in North America, so you have to think you have some things free :wink:

15 Jul 2006, 08:49

404 error wrote: the incompetent buggers can't even guarantee a constant supply.

As with many of the current woes of British society, you can trace them back to the Thatcher Government of the 80's.

Okay the Water, Gas, Electricity weren't perfect, but in real terms, more efficient and more accountable than they are now - - the excuse? Wipe out the momopolies and introduce healthy competition. In many cases, Privatisation DOES NOT WORK!

Look at the corruption and incompetence with the railways - again British rail was a running joke, but at least a 'running' joke is better than half the 'non - running' jokes we have now, bith operating rail services and those trying to dodge any accountability for the rail infrastructure. Look at efficient services in countries like France, Germany, Japan - all major world economies... and I found that even the Spanish railways compared with ours as being efficient, clean, modern and on time!

Same with half the civil service, the Benefits set up, the utter travesty that the NHS has become (thansks Tories...) etc.

We could also go onto the Country's police services, especially the Met, Council Housing, Power (Remember the appalling way in which the miners of Wales, Yorkshire and Lancashire and much of the North were treated?)

Still, many of the Brits posting here are too young to remember most of that or weren't politically active at the time. Blame the Tories...

Interesting that New Order did Miners' strike benefits, AIDS benefits, etc. when these weren't fashionable causes. Not quite 'Red Wedge' but the lads and Gillian did their bit.

No self-respecting English person could ever possibly vote Conservative without a massive turn-around in the bandwagon-jumping, right wing utterly hypocritical soundbites. New Labour aren't that much better nowadays either...

Okay, end of MY rant... :wink:

15 Jul 2006, 09:41

Lovely sunny day, time for a long shower then I might go water the garden... Hit the North!

15 Jul 2006, 11:59

It's a big rip off. We pay €60 every month for water....

16 Jul 2006, 03:43

Since I had a holiday and the water kept going off, I feel for you guys. We had to flush our toilets with water from the pool, and carry huge plastic barrels of water uphill to our accommodation in the searing heat. No shortages here as yet, due to higher rainfall but there are just as many leaks apparently in Scotland as a whole. Inverness has a new water treatment plant at the reservoir in the hills above Loch Ness. They added stuff to the water which makes it bad for dialysis so they have to treat the water again at the hospital.

As for the trains, the whole shambles is so complicated now I sure hope I dont have to even consider it... you phone for details and you get a call centre, they ask "are you going to Edinburgh via Aviemore?" WHAT OTHER WAY IS THERE? In the good old days of British Rail at least it was just grumbles about late trains, now it's safety issues and umpteen different fares for the same journey.

Grr... :banghead: