Hosepipe bans..

[Broady]

1. Tell council someones nicked your wheelie bin
2. Get new wheelie bin 2 weeks later
3. Stick a tap on the front and hook your gutters up to it
4. ??????
5. Profit

 

[tintin40]

So one day the off road trails will look like the pictures we get for Marin county and California

No need for muddy tires and i've bought 5

Remember who made the water companies private Was that a good idea?

 

[The Ken]

Just had a woman on the news saying how expensive it would be to transport water from north to south - they manage it with oil and gas no problem. Then she goes on about how we have to think about how much water we use and that metering and hose pipe restrictions are the only option - why don't they force the water companies to fix the 25% of supply lost through leakage before they start preaching to us?

I know I'm in scotland and shouldn't be concerned but I just had my water and sewage rates drop through the door and that pissed me off a little.

 

[unkleGsif]

What really grates on me is that they can see it comming.

I think that's the point to a greater extent.... drought orders in April are pretty unprecedented, and its being done to ensure that demand now doesn't adversely affect availability come the hieght of summer....

Doesnt excuse the fact that they (the water companies) piss it all away through the myriad of cracks and holes in the distribution system tho :twisted:

To put a necessity for life in the hands of private enterprise was always going to be a bad idea.

Couldn't agree more.... and its only ever been a part privatisation at best. Its not like you can go and drop, say, United Utilities in the NorthWest, for Anglian Water, so its hardly been moved to a free market economy where competition generates better standards and services for customers (.......supposedly, at least )

G

 

[hamster]

To put a nesessity for life in the hands of private enterprise was always going to be a bad idea.

Bearing in mind how governments manage to screw most things up, I'm not sure I agree. People seem to get fed OK without state-run food production. :?

 

[unkleGsif]

To put a nesessity for life in the hands of private enterprise was always going to be a bad idea.

Bearing in mind how governments manage to screw most things up, I'm not sure I agree. People seem to get fed OK without state-run food production. :?

Not everywhere they dont.... but thats a different thread

G

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

I work in this field and I know there has been a lot of work been going on for a long time about these water shortages at the Environment Agency. Hands off flow restrictions and drought orders aren't something that is done lightly - they are being put in to try and save water for the warmer months.

Unfortunately even if the water companies never had any leaks we'd still be in the same situation. Central, SE and E England simply haven't had enough rainfall in the winter to recharge groundwater, rivers and lakes. There has been temporary increase in river flows during some rainfall periods but as the soil has been so dry since the beginning of the year there isn't much chance that the groundwater aquifers will be recharged much at all.

Up here in the North we have less population, more water storage. Down south water resources are very stressed at the best of times. Plus people in the SE use more water than anyone else - there is a good reason why the "save water" message keeps being played - a lot of people who should know better don't listen!

Piping water down to the south has been looked at in detail but as has been already said is spectacularly expensive and isn't a realistic option. Building more reservoirs would be a lot cheaper and more effective - but I suppose the NIMBYS don't like that idea. :-/

Anglian region has been in official drought since June last year as the 2010 winter was very dry too, adding to the problems.

There is a balance to be made to satisfy the demands of business, farming, the natural environment and personal use and everyone has to play their part to help. Simply complaining that it's someone else's fault doesn't help at all.

Have a look at the EA website and have a read about what the situation is now and all the work that has been done about water resources. I'll post some links up soon that may be of interest.

 

[tintin40]

I have no problem with the state not running every thing. But would it not be better if the companies were not for 'profit' companies? Like a co-op? Where all profits go back to the water business and not the share holders first.
This is meant to be a service industry??

 

[unkleGsif]

Good on you Rob.... there speaks a voice of knowledge and reason, not Daily Mailism

G

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Current situation reports on water resources:
 
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/re ... 33995.aspx
 
All water resources reports menu
 
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ho ... fault.aspx