Hosepipe ban fury as leaks go unchecked
Water companies criticised for restricting supply to customers while failing to tackle system wastage
ANGRY householders criticised utility companies yesterday for imposing hosepipe bans and water restrictions while failing to tackle huge system leaks which allow one fifth of Britain’s water to flow away.
United Utilities will impose a Temporary Use Ban from Aug 5 after what is believed to be the longest heatwave since 1976, while other major providers such as Affinity, Southern and Thames Water, are asking customers to cut down because of supply problems.
Northern Ireland has already imposed a hosepipe ban, while the Council of the Isles of Scilly said water demand is at an unsustainable level and has asked residents to limit their use.
But homeowners, local councillors and charities have criticised restrictions, arguing that companies are putting profits ahead of fixing leaks.
Sophie Gorner, of Poulton-le-flylde, near Blackpool in Lancashire, said there had been water running down a hill in the market town for three and half months, but that United Utilities had failed to stem the flow.
“It’s gushing down and all they’ve done is mark it,” she said.
Figures released by the GMB Union yesterday showed that United Utilities is allowing 430 million litres of water to flow away each day because of leakages. Ofwat, the water industry regulator, recently found that privatised water firms in England typically lose between 20per cent and 22per cent of supply due to leakage each year.
The GMB criticised the company for potentially fining customers for wasting water when its chief executive earned £2.3 million each year, and posting operating profits of £645million. Stuart Fegan, the GMB national officer, said: “Whatever the weather, we need to take back the tap and ensure our water services are run in the interests of the public once more and not just the few at the top.”
Cat Hobbs, director of We Own It, an organisation that campaigns for public ownership of utilities, said: “A hosepipe ban might be avoided if that water wasn’t being wasted. We need to bring water into public ownership now so investment can go straight into infrastructure instead of lining shareholder pockets. In Paris, water is now in public ownership and leakage levels have been cut to 10per cent.”
Prof David Hall, of the Public Services International Research Unit at the University of Greenwich, said that privatised water firms have an incentive not to fix too many leaks, because the cost of work impacts profits.
“They can’t recoup the cost of making reductions in leakage levels except by reducing profits. That’s not what they want to do,” he said. “Any restriction on water use is a restriction on people’s quality of life.”
But United Utilities said it had more than 160 full-time inspectors, sniffer dogs and was investing in satellite technology to spot more leaks. A spokesman said: “Reducing leaks is a top priority. We have cut leakage by half since the Nineties and are working hard to do even more.”
Nicci Russell, of campaigners Waterwise, said companies could do more to encourage people to save water.
“They can offer a discount to customers who buy water efficient washing machines or dishwashers,” she said.
sir – Given the record dry spell that we have already had, and the forecast for more, it is extraordinary that any water company is delaying the imposition of hosepipe bans.
Very few of us need to use hosepipes, and anyone watering lawns should be reported. Meanwhile, those who usually frequent car washes should get a bucket out and do it at home instead. It saves no end of water – and, judging by the queues at our local car wash, is also a good deal quicker. Bob Kingsland
Stroud, Gloucestershire