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pollution from water treatment plants. the pollution from water is coming notjust from the raw sewage coming notjust from the raw sewage coming out of the storm overflows but treated sewage also goes into our rivers and there is a very low threshold on treatment. we don't know what is happening to the sewage treated and released, another huge issue. it has got worse because 2023, we were the dirty man of europe all those years ago, we were called. not one river is in good health. it is one of those discussions that should have a trigger warning, it is so unpleasant, some of these. what is the answer? you know, how have we ended up in this situation, and how do we get out of this situation? i think the example of thames is showing what happens with the lack of investment and planning, if it is
awareness of how well they are doinu. ~ , awareness of how well they are doinu. ~' , a, awareness of how well they are doinu. ~ , a, , a, doing. i think they are trying to sa , we doing. i think they are trying to say. we are _ doing. i think they are trying to say, we are fixing _ doing. i think they are trying to say, we are fixing the - doing. i think they are trying to say, we are fixing the leaks, i doing. i think they are trying to | say, we are fixing the leaks, we doing. i think they are trying to - say, we are fixing the leaks, we are trying to fix the leaks.— trying to fix the leaks. well, they are clearly _ trying to fix the leaks. well, they are clearly not _ trying to fix the leaks. well, they are clearly not in _ trying to fix the leaks. well, they are clearly not in bedford! - trying to fix the leaks. well, they are clearly not in bedford! i - trying to fix the leaks. well, they| are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one _ are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one of _ are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one of the _ are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one of the contract - are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one of the contract is - are clearly not in bedford! i know. i asked one of the contract is one| i asked one of the contract is one day. _ i asked one of the contract is one day, and — i asked one of the contract is one day, and i— i asked one of the contract is one day, and i said, how many more times i going _ day, and i said, how many more times i going to _ day, and i said, how many more times i going to dig — day, and i said, how many more times i going to dig up our road? why don't _ i going to dig up our road? why don't they— i going to dig up our road? why don't theyjust replace these old pipes? _ don't theyjust replace these old pipes? he said, which, they want to do that, _ pipes? he said, which, they want to do that, it _ pipes? he said, which, they want to do that, it is— pipes? he said, which, they want to do that, it is far too expensive, and yet — do that, it is far too expensive, and yet they spend money on advertising. we know they are fixing some _ advertising. we know they are fixing some leaks, but they are losing more weter— some leaks, but they are losing more water than _ some leaks, but they are losing more water than they are fixing. | some leaks, but they are losing more water than they are fixing. itell water than they are fixing. i tell ou water than they are fixing. i tell you what. _ water than they are fixing. i tell you what. you _ water than they are fixing. i tell you what. you get _ water than they are fixing. i tell you what, you get the - water than they are fixing. hell you what, you get the truth of the matter, don't you? the real goings—on when you speak to the guys outside who are doing the fixing, they tell it like it is, don't they? yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. i am yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. iam 'ust yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. iam just incensed _ yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. iam just incensed that _ yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. iam just incensed that they _ yeah, absolutely. hey. yeah. iam just incensed that they are wasting money— just incensed that they are wasting money advertising for nothing, because — money advertising for nothing, because who cares they say they are fixing _ because who cares they say they are fixing it _ because who cares they say they are fixing it when we know that our
bridge. let us talk about water, thames water in urgent talks this morning to try to secure the cash to stay afloat. we want to hear about your water down the drain, whatever your water down the drain, whatever you think. this morning a new line as well, britain's water regulator ofwat has said thames water has strong liquidity although it needs to improve its financial resilience. this is a statement issued this morning as the talks go on. a bit of a confidence booster to make sure it is not a don't panic situation. let us hearfrom you. john, ashley in leicester, dr kevinjoining us too from the school of geography and environment at the university of oxford, good stuff. actually, what do you think? i oxford, good stuff. actually, what do you think?— do you think? i guess i have two oints to do you think? i guess i have two points to make. _ do you think? i guess i have two points to make. in _ do you think? i guess i have two points to make. in full— do you think? i guess i have two i points to make. in full disclosure, i have experience in the administration of utilities, i am a
build these things, paid for these things in the first place, then it has been privatised, they have ripped all the profits out of it, giving it away to other people, and now they want to hand it back to us as a bag of costs.— now they want to hand it back to us as a bag of costs. susan in reading, aood as a bag of costs. susan in reading, good morning- _ as a bag of costs. susan in reading, good morning. good _ as a bag of costs. susan in reading, good morning. good morning. i as a bag of costs. susan in reading, good morning. good morning. a- good morning. good morning. a sliuhtl good morning. good morning. a slightly different _ good morning. good morning. a slightly different end _ good morning. good morning. a slightly different end of- good morning. good morning. a slightly different end of the i slightly different end of the spectrum i am coming from, because my daughter has not paid any water bills for— my daughter has not paid any water bills for over a year, and thames water— bills for over a year, and thames water absolutely declined to bill her. ,, water absolutely declined to bill her. . it is water absolutely declined to bill her.- it is complete - water absolutely declined to bill her. shhh! it is complete nonsense, she is within — her. shhh! it is complete nonsense, she is within the _ her. shhh! it is complete nonsense, she is within the terms _ her. s�*i�*i�*ii it is complete nonsense, she is within the terms water area, and i_ she is within the terms water area, and hust— she is within the terms water area, and ijust say, no, you are not served — and ijust say, no, you are not served by— and ijust say, no, you are not served by us, it isjust complete incompetence. so this speaks of bureaucratic balderdash, that they are just _ bureaucratic balderdash, that they are just not organised enough, yeah.
in the block of flats, i am taking my business elsewhere, you cannot do it. is my business elsewhere, you cannot do it. , , , ., , ., my business elsewhere, you cannot do it. , ,, ., ., it. is it essentially a flawed model? no, _ it. is it essentially a flawed model? no, in— it. is it essentially a flawed model? no, in the - it. is it essentially a flawed model? no, in the case - it. is it essentially a flawed model? no, in the case of| it. is it essentially a flawed - model? no, in the case of water, in response to the first caller as well, as you say, water is a natural monopoly. because the infrastructure is very expensive. there is no use in putting a separate set of pipes in putting a separate set of pipes in the ground. too expensive. however, in the business sector, it is... ~ ., ., however, in the business sector, it is... . . . . however, in the business sector, it is... what i mean, i am so sorry, the argument _ is... what i mean, i am so sorry, the argument is, _ is... what i mean, i am so sorry, the argument is, because - is... what i mean, i am so sorry, the argument is, because you - is... what i mean, i am so sorry, - the argument is, because you cannot do that, it goes against the very argument of privatisation in the first place. it isn't one of the glories of those who love privatisation, you have choice, you have competition. we don't. and i have competition. we don't. and i think it may _ have competition. we don't. and i think it may work _ have competition. we don't. and i think it may work for _ have competition. we don't. fific i think it may work for broadband, it may work for electricity, gas, but it does not work for water because water is different. very difficult
stakeholders taking love the prophet out. stakeholders taking love the prophet out we _ stakeholders taking love the prophet out. we are always going to need water~ _ out. we are always going to need water~ we — out. we are always going to need water. we are always going to need to go— water. we are always going to need to go to _ water. we are always going to need to go to the — water. we are always going to need to go to the toilet. what choice have _ to go to the toilet. what choice have we — to go to the toilet. what choice have we got. it is an insult to think— have we got. it is an insult to think water is nice and we are being held to _ think water is nice and we are being held to ransom by companies that take huge — held to ransom by companies that take huge profit and have no thought about— take huge profit and have no thought about the _ take huge profit and have no thought about the environmental impact they have _ about the environmental impact they have i_ about the environmental impact they have i have — about the environmental impact they have. i have been monitoring for years— have. i have been monitoring for years the — have. i have been monitoring for years the pollution. i helped with panorama — years the pollution. i helped with panorama. i trained at dozens of volunteers _ panorama. i trained at dozens of volunteers. i have been doing... i want _ volunteers. i have been doing... i want to— volunteers. i have been doing... i want to prove... i want to shoot the bullets _ want to prove... i want to shoot the bullets and — want to prove... i want to shoot the bullets and campaign and march up to london _ bullets and campaign and march up to london and _ bullets and campaign and march up to london and get invited to all of the bil london and get invited to all of the big meetings to tell them the data i have collected... big meetings to tell them the data i have collected. . ._ big meetings to tell them the data i have collected... thank you so much for caettin have collected... thank you so much for getting in — have collected... thank you so much for getting in touch. _ have collected. .. thank you so much for getting in touch. i _ have collected... thank you so much for getting in touch. i love _ have collected... thank you so much for getting in touch. i love the - have collected... thank you so much for getting in touch. i love the way i for getting in touch. i love the way you put it, just a month ago, you
two industries were so many things in common that would not be subject to the same process? that is my question. to the same process? that is my cuestion. ., ., ., , to the same process? that is my cuestion. ., . ., , question. you and i would be exposed to the debts — question. you and i would be exposed to the debts and _ question. you and i would be exposed to the debts and running _ question. you and i would be exposed to the debts and running costs - question. you and i would be exposed to the debts and running costs of - to the debts and running costs of thames water were it to be taken back into public ownership. i guess, but i guess — back into public ownership. i guess, but i guess in _ back into public ownership. i guess, but i guess in the _ back into public ownership. i guess, but i guess in the same _ back into public ownership. i guess, but i guess in the same sentence i back into public ownership. i guess, i but i guess in the same sentence and respect, what would be the difference be in bailing it out? from the consumer perspective, it feels like one in the same. many consumers will feel the same thing, seems to be a drive for it to go back into public ownership anyway. if that company cannot function as a normal business, if i cannot function as a normal business, i go into administration and someone may take me over, may full by the wayside, i don't understand why we have allowed so many energy companies to go into administration but not a similar process for water. thames water having financial
way round. i _ did you hear that? i am the other way round. lam _ did you hear that? i am the other way round, i am probably- did you hear that? i am the other way round, i am probably paying | did you hear that? i am the other i way round, i am probably paying her water bill! i have been living in my flat for 13 years, i am a single person, i have got a shower, but i am billed for a family of four, because they changed my water metre and put it on someone else's house. so i have complained to them, and i am paying £51 a month for one person in a flat. i have complained to them, they have said they will get on it. the last four months, they have not physically done anything at all, they keep coming up with excuses about not digging up the road or lifting up the manhole, because the water metre is under the ground. so i had to pay someone £500 to come out and do that, because i had a leak, so i had to turn my water off, and that is how i realised i was charged the wrong metre, because thames water gave me my metre number.
monitor— lot of time below the surface, i monitor the aquatic life. it is my office _ monitor the aquatic life. it is my office and — monitor the aquatic life. it is my office and my playground. i have a decline _ office and my playground. i have a decline over the years and some sections. — decline over the years and some sections, i go out along the wye every— sections, i go out along the wye every now— sections, i go out along the wye every now and again come to see what is going _ every now and again come to see what is going on. _ every now and again come to see what is going on, you get a lot of sewage pump— is going on, you get a lot of sewage pump ten— is going on, you get a lot of sewage pump ten at— is going on, you get a lot of sewage pump ten at night, pipes under the water, _ pump ten at night, pipes under the water, in— pump ten at night, pipes under the water, in sections where nobody actually — water, in sections where nobody actually goes, so it is very much hidden — actually goes, so it is very much hidden it— actually goes, so it is very much hidden it is— actually goes, so it is very much hidden. it is dial equipped diabolical —— it is diabolical. the whole _ diabolical —— it is diabolical. the whole circle _ diabolical —— it is diabolical. the whole circle from us at home to what we put _ whole circle from us at home to what we put down — whole circle from us at home to what we put down our toilets, chemicals, wet wipes, — we put down our toilets, chemicals, wet wipes, the whole equation. i have _ wet wipes, the whole equation. i have spoken in westminster, i am back in— have spoken in westminster, i am back in two— have spoken in westminster, i am back in two days' time, i am a campaignerfor back in two days' time, i am a campaigner for the river because we have an _ campaigner for the river because we have an invitation into the river and we — have an invitation into the river and we need to respect it. very much from the _ and we need to respect it. very much from the ground up to the people... we have _ from the ground up to the people... we have no— from the ground up to the people... we have no choice. these
thinks it is in communist china and we must kowtow. that is what he said. in a nutshell, what is the story? said. in a nutshell, what is the sto ? , . , said. in a nutshell, what is the sto ? ., ., said. in a nutshell, what is the sto ? , story? the basics of this, the thing ou need story? the basics of this, the thing you need to _ story? the basics of this, the thing you need to know, _ story? the basics of this, the thing you need to know, a _ story? the basics of this, the thing you need to know, a committee . story? the basics of this, the thing you need to know, a committee in| you need to know, a committee in parliament has criticised several conservative mps parliament has criticised several conservative mp5 for criticising it, for trying to question the way it looked intojohnson it said a bunch of borisjohnson allies were wrong to do that and it has asked the houses of parliament to basically make a statement saying the committee should not face to pressure, intimidation, lobbying when it is looking into the conduct of people like borisjohnson. the big unanswered question that we will try to get to the bottom of in the next couple of hours, is parliament going to do anything about it? is it simply going to say, we think they are bad, slap on the west? hick are bad, slap on the west? nick eardle , are bad, slap on the west? nick eardley, political— are bad, slap on the west? nick eardley, political correspondent. none of that is water under the