Sucking England Dry

When the privatisation of the English Water and Sewage Companies was first mooted, consumers were promised they would effectively become 'H2Owners. Actuality, turned out to be quite a bit different (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/01/water-companies-debts-since-privatisation-ofwat-refuses-impose-limits). It transpires that more than 70% of the English water 'industry' is now owned by foreign companies. Actual ownership, is often not very transparent (like the sewage these companies routinely discharge into rivers). Tax may well be avoided. Although water is effectively a monopoly, the debts of English Water Companies have been allowed to grow to £54bn. Currently, 20% of a consumer's bill, in England' services debts and rewards shareholders. If the profits of these water companies had been actually reinvested in infrastructure, debts, sewage discharge and water leakage would all be considerably lower. Ofwat (the body charged with ensuring appropriate behaviour by water companies), apparently has no intention of interfering with what has become a gravy train. Just add the money to the 'cost of living crisis'.