As water bills across England and Wales are set to rise, Steve Coogan has some strong words for the system that’s led to this point. Speaking to BBC Breakfast from Lake Windermere, Coogan didn’t mince his words – and rightly so.
Windermere, known as the jewel of the Lake District, is in trouble. The lake is suffering from toxic blue-green algae, partly due to pollution from water companies like United Utilities. For Coogan, this isn’t just a local issue; it’s a direct result of a 35-year experiment in water privatisation that has clearly failed.
đź’¸ The Privatisation Failure
Coogan didn’t hold back, explaining that privatisation has led to chronic underinvestment. “The system is broken,” he said. “United Utilities don’t have the network capacity to deal with pollution in Windermere because profits have been paid out as dividends instead of being invested in infrastructure.”
To make matters worse, water companies have paid £80 billion in dividends over the last 35 years, while the actual investment in our water systems has been minimal. Coogan called out the gap between the tiny sums companies are “talking about spending” and the real investment needed.
🛑 Time for Public Ownership
So, what’s the solution? Coogan is clear – it’s time to bring water back into public ownership. He argued that this would ensure money generated from water bills goes directly into improving the system, rather than lining shareholders’ pockets.
The BBC may have offered advice on how to cushion the blow of rising bills, but Coogan’s point is simple – the real change comes with public control. Only then, he suggests, will we see the improvements needed to protect our environment and keep water bills fair.}
It’s hard to disagree. The system has been broken for years, and the next step is clear: let’s fix it by putting water back where it belongs – in the hands of the people.
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