Shocking details about water quality in many of our rivers and the sea

I saw him talking about this a few months ago he was very knowledgeable and what he said was shocking.

The Times has launched a big campaign to get our rivers and seas cleaned up.

What a coincidence that they've got much dirtier since Brexit...

I was reading in the I newspaper yesterday that the Lords are attempting to exempt EU regulations from the 'bonfire' of red tape planned by Rees Mogg. It's evident that these regulations have been ignored for years, with the blessing of - among all, Lizz Truss. However, the articles in the newspaper constantly referred to the pollution of 'British' waterways whereas it is my understanding that Scotland, which never privatised water, doesn't have this issue. Perhaps Scottish resident grans could back me on this. I also understand that Welsh water is not in the hands of private companies.

I was reading in the I newspaper yesterday that the Lords are attempting to exempt EU regulations from the 'bonfire' of red tape planned by Rees Mogg.

If they succeeded it would be highly amusing because the whole purpose of this idiotic and very dangerous Bill is to eliminate all EU influenced regulations from our laws 😂

It's evident that these regulations have been ignored for years, with the blessing of - among all, Lizz Truss.

It hasn't helped that the Environment Agency has suffered so badly from tory cuts to their budgets since 2010 that they cannot afford to prosecute the offenders, nor do they have enough personnel to carry out the necessary inspections.

This is a consequence of the futile and damaging belief that a budget deficit is a bad thing and that, like a household, the country has to cut its spending to 'pay off its debt'.

annodomini

I was reading in the I newspaper yesterday that the Lords are attempting to exempt EU regulations from the 'bonfire' of red tape planned by Rees Mogg. It's evident that these regulations have been ignored for years, with the blessing of - among all, Lizz Truss. However, the articles in the newspaper constantly referred to the pollution of 'British' waterways whereas it is my understanding that Scotland, which never privatised water, doesn't have this issue. Perhaps Scottish resident grans could back me on this. I also understand that Welsh water is not in the hands of private companies.

Welsh Water is a not-for-profit company.
Profits are supposedly re-invested for the benefit of customers. Welsh water rates are very high, their record does not seem any better than elsewhere.
River pollution levels are high, sewage spillage are frequent and their excuse is that we have a higher rainfall than elsewhere.

Pipes leak, homes were without water over Christmas.

The only info I can find re this interview is on Twitter and I imagine for security reasons I am unable to provide a link.
This is not the only area where regulation has broken down. Many laws have been passed to regulate industries that affect our everyday lives. The problem is that nobody appears to be checking that the regulations are enforced. All this sort of thing has declined seriously during the past few years.

Check out this list to see if your MP voted for another 15 years of sewage dumping

twitter.com/LibDems/status/1618582320474378241?t=PV0CyAWbcT_NXnf_yKmbtw&s=19

The state of all UK rivers area bloody disgrace and have been for a long time.

The problem is with the water companies. As with all things these days it’s all about pleasing shareholders and big profits. It’s not just in the UK either. Time to take back ownership though it would cost £billions so that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

It all goes back to Thatcher's doctrinaire belief in privitisation.

"Right to Buy"meant Councils having to sell off council houses to tennants , often at %0% discount and then being prevented from spending the proceeds of building new council houses.

Privitising the ulilities was bonkers. Thees are all monoplies and so should never be in private hands as there is no competition. You get the same water out of the tap, depending on where you live, as everyone else.

Privitisation meant that you no longer just paid for the cost of the water or electricity, but the dividends to shareholders.

50% discount. Near us a three bedroomed semi was sold by the council, not to the tennant, but the 21 year old son of the tennant for £12k. He sold it three years later for £60k.

MaizieD

^I was reading in the I newspaper yesterday that the Lords are attempting to exempt EU regulations from the 'bonfire' of red tape planned by Rees Mogg^.

If they succeeded it would be highly amusing because the whole purpose of this idiotic and very dangerous Bill is to eliminate all EU influenced regulations from our laws 😂

It's evident that these regulations have been ignored for years, with the blessing of - among all, Lizz Truss.

It hasn't helped that the Environment Agency has suffered so badly from tory cuts to their budgets since 2010 that they cannot afford to prosecute the offenders, nor do they have enough personnel to carry out the necessary inspections.

This is a consequence of the futile and damaging belief that a budget deficit is a bad thing and that, like a household, the country has to cut its spending to 'pay off its debt'.

Yes regarding the EA. The other issues are that the maximum fine that the EA can enforce is far less than it would cost the water companies to build the necessary infrastructure for sewage treatment. The government has recently refused to,put these fines up,

The other issue is that the EA is prevented by the government to pursue these companies by restricting the EA resources.