A Citizen's Guide to Water
The water peddlers
Nestle, Danone and the Coca-Cola company (and Pepsi) have magically transformed a basic human need into a life-style choice. These companies are in the business of selling bottled water. Through their advertising they have persuaded millions of consumers that their bottled products are superior to water from the tap.
In a temperate region like the UK some two litres of water are lost from our bodies each day and have to be replaced. The life-style peddlers would have us believe that what we need to do is replace it with their bottled water. Not true! The water content of the food we eat makes up about half of the water content we need on a daily basis. And your normal daily intake of tea, coffee, milk, beer, wine, etc probably makes up for the rest. If you're still thirsty, try the tap.
Fact, there is simply no defense for buying bottled water, except as a one off, so you can acquire the plastic bottle, to refill from the tap everyday.
Clearly, if you are intending to jet off on a fact finding mission to Haiti, to check up on the wealthy nations' lame efforts to support the desperate plight of the poor in that country, then take some bottled water.
Staying here, you don't need to make a life-style choice, just a money saving choice.
A prime example of corporate welfare.
With the introduction of the 1989 Water Act, the ten Water authorities in England and Wales, which had previously been created under the 1973 Water Act, became private limited companies.
The Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT) was set up to add legitimacy to the privatization project. OFWAT provided the regulation framework, setting out performance standards and targets, a cap on price increases being key.
There can be few examples of other private companies throughout the world which have a regulator to ensure that they receive a set rate of return on their investment. This could be described as a prime example of corporate welfare.
Water Quality Around the British Coastline
The capacity of the privatized water companies to deal with waste treatment is woeful. This is due in part to the Victorian infrastructure they are using to deal with the problem but it is also due to poor investment on their part. They are only interested in short term profits not long term improvements in water supply and treatment.
Fact: the water companies are responsible for over 20,000 Combined Sewer Overflow pipes. These are used to cope with the pressure placed on the system by heavy rain fall and flooding, the alternative would be to have sewer waste coming back up dosmestic toilets.
However, some water companies are using these overflow pipes routinely to dispose of waste and the Environment Agency is not bothering to check up on their activities; they prefer to use a system of limits on use and self reporting if limits are exceeded.
It is estimated that at least 500 overflow pipes discharge directly onto or near beaches, exposing bathers to a high probability of disease.
1. What is your MP going to do about the water companies dumping raw untreated sewer waste into the sea around Britain's coastline, 2. under-investment on the part of the water companies, and 3. what are his intentions with regard to the limp attitude to this disgrace on the part of the Environment Agency?