After giving the privatised water companies the bill increase that they wanted – and more – now Ofwat’s betrayal of the public is complete.
These are companies that have ripped us off to the tune of billions of pounds during the 30+ years since they were privatised, putting the money – not into upgrading the Victorian water pipe and sewage system, as they were expected to, but directly into shareholders’ pockets.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Now, after giving them an £86 bill increase next year, leading to £155 over five years (£11 more than they wanted), it turns out that since 2021 they have been fined just £2 for breaking rules, despite pumping record amounts of sewage into our waterways.
Thames Water was fined £1 in 2021 after Ofwat found the firm was responsible for data errors that led to some customers being charged incorrectly.
In 2024, Welsh Water was fined £1 after it was found to misreport its data on leakages over several years.
Earlier this year, Ofwat announced plans to fine three companies – Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water – a collective £168m for failing to maintain their networks, but is yet to collect any money from these firms or confirm what the final penalty will be.
The good news is that the firms have apparently agreed multi-million-pound compensation and investment packages for customers and their networks.
But the price increases on our bills mean the more-or-less £10 rebate customers would have received will be totally swallowed (unlike their product) anyway.
And does anybody really believe any investment will go into the water and sewage network?
Ofwat is a busted flush and the water companies are untrustworthy. It’s a shame Labour hasn’t got the guts to nationalise them.
Source: Water companies fined just £2 for rule breaking despite record sewage
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Ofwat’s betrayal of the public is complete
After giving the privatised water companies the bill increase that they wanted – and more – now Ofwat’s betrayal of the public is complete.
These are companies that have ripped us off to the tune of billions of pounds during the 30+ years since they were privatised, putting the money – not into upgrading the Victorian water pipe and sewage system, as they were expected to, but directly into shareholders’ pockets.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Now, after giving them an £86 bill increase next year, leading to £155 over five years (£11 more than they wanted), it turns out that since 2021 they have been fined just £2 for breaking rules, despite pumping record amounts of sewage into our waterways.
The good news is that the firms have apparently agreed multi-million-pound compensation and investment packages for customers and their networks.
But the price increases on our bills mean the more-or-less £10 rebate customers would have received will be totally swallowed (unlike their product) anyway.
And does anybody really believe any investment will go into the water and sewage network?
Ofwat is a busted flush and the water companies are untrustworthy. It’s a shame Labour hasn’t got the guts to nationalise them.
Source: Water companies fined just £2 for rule breaking despite record sewage
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
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Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
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Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
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5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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