Water companies should be taken into public ownership now
I welcome the government's decision to block Thames Water from borrowing money to pay bosses' bonuses (Report, 15 May), but this is only a first step to tackling the crisis in our water industry – a crisis that will only intensify if excessively dry conditions persist.
As if mismanaging our precious water wasn't enough, many companies haven't hesitated to take on unsustainable debt or pay billions to shareholders: £78bn has been paid out in dividends over the last three decades. For every pound of your water bill, an estimated 35 pence goes on debt or dividends.
Our rivers and streams are full of sewage and 3bn litres of water are lost to leaks every single day. Private water companies have failed to prepare for drought and dry weather, says the Climate Change Committee. It's high time to end the disastrous experiment with privatisation and take these companies back into public ownership.Adrian Ramsay MPCo-leader, Green party
How can Thames Water say it is close to running out of money? Most of us pay by direct debit and Thames has increased bills by 46.8%. That's a more reliable flow of income than the water from my taps. If customers could adjust their income as easily and with as little justification, none would say they're hard up.Martin CooperBromley, London
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