Fat profits and filth – it’s time to bring water back into public ownership

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Why does Water UK expect the public to pay for their plan? (PA)

Responding to public anger over the unceasing flow of excrement into the UK’s rivers and onto its coasts, Water UK, which represents privatised water companies across the country, has issued a statement on the situation via their chair Ruth Kelly.

The statement acknowledges the “upset and the anger from the fact that there have been overspills of untreated sewage onto beaches and into rivers over the past few years” and goes on to say: “We’re sorry that we didn’t act sooner, but we get it.” An “unprecedented plan” was announced to tackle the problem. The water companies are prepared to invest £10bn into sewage infrastructure to cut the volume of raw sewage they’re putting into rivers and seas.

And the cost of this “unprecedented plan”? It will be passed onto customers, who can expect to see a “modest increase in bills”.