E.coli levels in Thames '30x higher than usual' after sewage

Tue 30 Jun, 12:21 (last edited on Tue 30 Jun, 12:23)

There are certain industries that do not need to be privatised,  Water is one of them. Its absolutely criminal that we are paying the bonuses and excessive wages to this debt ridden organisations like Thames Water , where I believe that bonuses and dividends are paid out before anything else. At the end of the day,  we , the British public DO NOT have a choice of who supplies our water. Its not like buying a car or a tin of baked beans, where there is a choice. This can also be applied to the rail network etc

Tue 30 Jun, 08:23

It's a perfect example of everything that's wrong with most economic policy and the lie of the "trickle down" effect. The enrichment of a wealthy few is prioritised over the basic needs of the many with disastrous consequences. It was ridiculous to imagine that private companies who exist to make profit for their shareholders, could run public services as effectively as non-profit making government. The same is true in the energy market where, despite the clear and present impact of climate change, we are moving away from net zero and green energy back towards a "drill baby, drill" approach. Southill Solar Farm shows what is possible and yet...?

 Whoever the next prime minister is I'd like to see clean water and renewable energy at the heart of the next set of government policies because without it, we are quite literally doomed. 

Mon 29 Jun, 18:42

Birgit, I could not agree more.

Also what about the £10bn (I believe it is) that Thames Water gave to their shareholders from their cash reserves? That was once our money! Maybe the Board of Thames Water (or the shareholders!) can be instructed to pay it back to us? 

Also, as I have frequently said before, the "Great Con" of privatisation was akin to some government official knocking on your front door and offering to sell you your car that stands outside; people were sold what they already owned! So contrary to what we are being told, the act of re-nationalisation will cost nothing (in terms of acquisition at least). 

What is in no doubt is that the more than 35 years of privatised operation have been an unmitigated disaster for all except the associated speculators. In my youth I rowed on the River Thames; once I capsized and swallowed some water, and was sick for a week. By the mid 80's massive improvements had been made; salmon were reported around where I capsized all those years before! And then came privatisation. ENOUGH!

Mon 29 Jun, 12:19

Why our rivers/Thames Water are not in public ownership I do not know. Please Andy Burnham, if you make anything happen let it be that (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/05/thames-water-should-be-nationalised-andy-burnham)

Mon 29 Jun, 10:55

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/toxic-waste-sewage-discharged-river-thames-during-heatweave-5HjdcCM_2/

"A soup of toxic waste".