The nerve of these people, charging us for their failure

One simple statistic drives me mad – and should do the same to you. Over the past three years, water companies have been dumping sewage into the rivers and along the coastlines of england and Wales for about 7.5million hours.

There’s no way of knowing exactly how many millions – perhaps billions – of tons of waste that represents.

Yesterday, nine english water companies came together and said sorry for ‘not acting quickly enough’ to avert this deluge of filth.

Apologies don’t come more hollow. Where is the apology for the years of multi-million-pound bonuses paid to underperforming, incompetent executives?

Where is the apology for the past conduct of these companies – and for their arrogant refusal to face scrutiny? And where is the apology for poisoning our water supply?

Their words are so pathetic, you could almost laugh. But the damage has been done.

What’s more, these companies also had the nerve to announce yesterday that they intend to charge us for the £10billion they allegedly plan to spend upgrading our water supply systems. Yes, we whose bills underwrite the bosses’ fat salaries and hefty bonuses now need to remedy the ecological destruction that they have wrought on our rivers, lakes and coastline. Over ten years, £10billion means an extra £400 for every household in england and Wales. It’s the last thing any of us need.

Ten billion might sound like a lot of money – but it’s a pittance in an industry of this size. Just look at Thames Water as an example. Last Christmas, it announced it made profits just shy of £500million – and that was made in just six months.

It staggers me that these water companies now have the gall to charge households an extra £1billion per year, when one firm alone makes nearly that amount every year in profit. Why are we being charged twice for a service we’ve already paid for? I can’t for the life of me see why each of the nine water companies can’t raise that £10billion themselves. It would mean just £111million per company per year, which they could easily afford.

Remember, the english water companies alone paid out nearly £19billion in dividends from 2010 to 2021 – an annual average of £1.6billion. Can it be right – or even legal – for that cash to line the pockets of investors before it is used to clean our most precious resource?

There is one glimmer of hope: before the water companies can extort this money from householders, it has to be approved by the regulatory body Ofwat.

HOWEVER, I fear that Ofwat will nod the extra charge through – and, in doing so, will once more prove itself utterly incapable. The regulator seems to look at sewage spills as a reputational problem.

It is failing to understand the mood of the nation. At this month’s local elections, sewage was a huge issue. People really made their voices heard – and terror was struck into the heart of local politicians.

Therese Coffey, the environment Secretary, has the power to fine these companies 10 per cent of their annual turnover. What is stopping her? Fines might sharpen bosses’ minds – and go a long way to stopping the dumping. Make no mistake: Water quality will be a huge issue at the next election. A party that fails to grasp this will be dumped by voters – just as these companies have dumped all that waste in our seas.