The water sector in Wales and England functions in that way. It’s a mess in almost every other manner.
The flushing of those loos is the most obvious indication of that mess. The amount of raw sewage emitted by England’s privatized water companies last year was 3.6 million hours, more than twice as much as the previous year.
The industry is a “chaotic shambles,” as former pop sensation Feargal Sharkey has been saying for years, and millions of consumers, surfers, and bathers have joined in.
It extends beyond our lakes, rivers, and coasts. Some villages have had their water supply turned off, while others have been instructed to boil their tap water to make it safe.
Water supply issues have put plans to develop new homes in jeopardy, and Environment Secretary Steve Reed warned the news that some areas of the country may experience a scarcity of drinking water by the 2030s.
There has never been less trust in these businesses, and it’s easy to understand why.
It will require significant adjustment to address a few common denominators that are straining the system. The government is aware of this, which is why it just announced the creation of a significant new commission to carry out the largest assessment of the industry since it was privatized thirty-five years ago.
Former Bank of England Deputy Governor Sir Jon Cunliffe will serve as the head of the independent committee, which is expected to submit its findings in June of next year. Among the options on the table is the reform.
