UK Water Consumers Also Have Roles to Play

England's privatised Water and Sewage Companies are a disgrace. They neither look after water supplies nor do they show much concern for human/environmental health. These bodies appear totally focused on delivering cash rewards for their shareholders and CEOs. Having reiterated all that, Dieter Helm (Oxford University) is quite right to point out that, changes in consumer behaviour would help conserve water stocks and reduce pollution (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/02/england-wales-broken-water-system-regulators). Helm notes that consumers flush wipes (inappropriate even when they claim to be 'flushable') and used cooking oils down toilets. These often generate the monsterous 'fatbergs' that block sewage systems. Helm also notes that one doesn't have to use potable tap water to irrigate ones's plants or wash one's car. Rainwater can often be easily and cheaply collected for these purposes. This is all very true, but people could be helped to change their behaviour. There could be domestic collection systems for used cooking oils as well as provision and fitting of water butts (where appropriate) in people's gardens. Perhaps the privatised water companies could allocate some of their monopolistic profits to such activities? More effective use of water is clearly going to be needed, as climate change bites harder!