When will the regulators take action against water companies as pollution increases?
The very least that was expected of water companies was for them to not trash the environment. However, as the rise in the number of serious pollution incidents shows, even that is beyond them. It isn’t a small rise either, with the sector registering a 60 per cent increase.
The excuses proffered by water firms simply do not wash. Pleas to be allowed to extract even more money from customers are insulting. It is an attempt to outsource the cost of their negligence.
For decades, water companies have rewarded bosses with bonuses and paid out generous dividends to shareholders. Money that should have been invested into the water network to prevent pollution.
Water UK, which represents the industry, says it hopes “that the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission next week will ensure the sector continues to get the investment it needs to drive down pollution incidents”.
Earlier this week, MPs found that 20 per cent of people are struggling to afford their water bills. Piling more pressure on the customer is not sustainable.
It would also be morally wrong to allow these firms to increase rates, especially not without reform. No bonuses, payouts or indeed executive pay increases should be allowed until they have fixed the issues that are seeing them damage the environment.
Pollution was inevitable given the complacency that has been rife across the sector. Complacency that could end up leaving the nation facing shortfalls in water. It’s a damning indictment that zero reservoirs have been built in the past three decades in this country.
There are serious questions for the regulators to also answer. They have simply not been doing an acceptable job if water companies are being allowed to discharge pollution on top of pollution, risk water supply and then expect customers to bear the burden of rectifying the issues.