Having written before on the crassness of Mrs.Thatcher for privatising water – creating a monopoly for something vital – I despair at the latest twist in the chaotic story.
Not content with charging users in the South West some of the highest bills in the country and siphoning off billions of pounds to shareholders and directors the various companies are now, finally, proposing to tackle sewage pollution in our coastal waters and rivers through the tripling of investment in the sewage system – which we will all be expected to pay for.
Given that water companies have paid out an average of £2 billion a year to shareholders and directors since being handed the then debt-free utilities 30 years ago this might strike the average customer as somewhat unfair – especially as the companies are now debt-laden courtesy of their private owners.
The government has yet to say whether they will oppose these new impositions and in the meantime the Torridge and our coastal waters will continue to be polluted.
