Cryptosporidium - is anyone having to boil their water?

MibsXX not a lot of people know that (including us).

Callistemon21

fancythat

Can we say for 100% that it wouldnt have happened under public ownership?

Welsh Water is a not-for-profit organisation.

Their record is no better.

The River Severn, which runs between England and Wales, was the most polluted river and had seen 28,741 hours of sewage pumped into it on 2,656 occasions by Severn Trent Water. The rivers in Wales included in the list are the River Teifi, River Usk, River Wye, River Tawe, Menai Strait, and River Taf.

The total of six led Undertones singer and keen fisherman Feargal Sharkey, who is on a mission to protect the UK's rivers and streams, to tweet: "What on earth is going on in Wales, Welsh Water @Dwr Cymru with an utterly despicable record of 6 of the most polluted rivers. Get a grip."

A few months ago local people were told not to drink or use tap water and bottled water was being given to householders. That was over a Christmas period.

If anything should bring us out on to the streets protesting, it is this!

Welsh Water may well be a not for profit bunch BUT don't forget they own the company they pay to do all repairs etc which DOES indeed turn a huge profit...

Perfectly legitimate businesses - and no, not the water industry or any other privatised industry. No way would I invest in tobacco or arms, but thanks for the vote of confidence in my integrity.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have invested for the returns and capital appreciation. I don’t care what is done with the money I have invested and have no power over it. So yes, I’m in it purely for profit. Like everyone else.

So, arms? Tobacco? All OK as long as you can draw an income? There is a word......

I have invested for the returns and capital appreciation. I don’t care what is done with the money I have invested and have no power over it. So yes, I’m in it purely for profit. Like everyone else.

As an experienced shareholder Germanshepherdsmum, do you expect/wish for proper re-investment in your projects, or to only glean profit from them?

MayBee70, I have seen 'joke' ones on Facebook, about sending £2 a month to help get clean water for a region in England.

'Ofwat', I keep thinking there is a letter missing.

An appeal by Water Aid just popped up on the tv and my initial reaction was that it was for the UK …

As a matter of interest, do we know how many other countries in Europe, or even the World, that have allowed their water supplies to be privatised?

I agree with Casdon that as water is essential to life it should never have been privatised. We can, and some people have had to, do without gas and electricity but we wouldn't last long without water.

I’m stating the fact related to the amount Germanshepherdsmum. You know that I don’t think water should ever have been privatised in the first place.

Do you think people and organisations should have put money into the water industry for little return? I own shares and I expect decent dividends.

Yes, Ofwat says the figures are wrong.

"[It] does not represent the true total given it is inflation-adjusted. Ofwat offers the figure since privatisation as £52bn," the regulator said.”

That’s okay then, it’s only £52bn.

Which the water companies deny. They say the figure is much lower. Remember that the investors who have bought shares from the companies have given the companies money in return for dividend payments.

A report on BBC online today says that research by the University of Greenwich suggests that investors have withdrawn £85.2bn from 10 water and sewage companies in England and Wales since privatisation more than 30 years ago.

Most of us don’t have a say in where their pension funds are, it doesn’t follow that we don’t care. Some people think the bottom line excuses anything. I do not want my pension fund etc investing in companies which are not fulfilling their statutory duties, are unethical or are destroying our environment. I do have a choice of bank and I do try to put my money into ethical funds where I have the choice.

They said yesterday that its a pipe leak near wear cattle are, so they do know.Not heard about paignton though.We had cryptos in our water in north west but united utilities kept saying they were harmless and to just boil the water.They brought a few bottles of water to priority customers and even though we carried on buying our own for weeks all everyone got was £55.

Pension funds investing in the water companies include the Church of England pension fund, British University Staff pension fund, BT pension fund, Mineworkers, some Local Authority schemes, in fact dozens of British pension funds are (or were) invested in water companies.

It makes no difference if the funds are spread, perhaps it means that we should be more interested and make representation to our pension fund provider.

But dividends vary from year to year, share prices change daily, and the more risky your investment the more you stand to gain or lose if the market changes. Pension funds are usually very spread portfolios. Everybody knows these things, surely?

I can't believe how bad a job these private companies have made of our water system, I so hope they will be banished by the next gov't, just think what they'd do to the NHS & schools if they got another 4 years

Germanshepherdsmum

It’s a bit rich when people complain about dividends paid to shareholders when they have no idea if their pension fund is a shareholder (which is quite likely).

I'm getting it Germanshepherdsmum!

Complaining online about the state of the water industry but receiving a pension, without complaint, which is paid as a result of investment in those same water companies seems hypocritical.

Stocks and shares ISAs? Do we know exactly where they are invested?

Investigate and, if necessary, complain to the pension providers.

Have you noticed the complaints on GN about dividends?

Germanshepherdsmum

It’s a bit rich when people complain about dividends paid to shareholders when they have no idea if their pension fund is a shareholder (which is quite likely).

Who is the ‘they’ you’re talking about Germanshepherdmum?

It’s a bit rich when people complain about dividends paid to shareholders when they have no idea if their pension fund is a shareholder (which is quite likely).