Water firms (again) to introduce 'Surge Pricing' in hot spells.

Chunkylad

Chunkylad

Well-known member
apple.news

Water firms to impose surge pricing during heatwaves — The Telegraph

Smart meter trials will mean families pay more during summer or when hosepipes are banned
apple.news apple.news

Looks like the joyous service continues from our overseas owned Water companies. Pricing to go up and then go up even more when the sun comes out.

I know we've debated privatised utilities on here many times and Lost has stated that Govt owned utilities are no better than private run utilities.

Well, unless your in Scotland which is still public owned and massively cheaper than water supply in England.

www.thenational.scot

Water bills in Scotland ‘will be £113 cheaper’ than in England and Wales

Scotland's water bills will be £113 cheaper than in England and Wales despite an upcoming price hike from Scottish Water.
www.thenational.scot www.thenational.scot
 
Chunkylad said:
apple.news

Water firms to impose surge pricing during heatwaves — The Telegraph

Smart meter trials will mean families pay more during summer or when hosepipes are banned
apple.news apple.news

Looks like the joyous service continues from our overseas owned Water companies. Pricing to go up and then go up even more when the sun comes out.

I know we've debated privatised utilities on here many times and Lost has stated that Govt owned utilities are no better than private run utilities.

Well, unless your in Scotland which is still public owned and massively cheaper than water supply in England.

www.thenational.scot

Water bills in Scotland ‘will be £113 cheaper’ than in England and Wales

Scotland's water bills will be £113 cheaper than in England and Wales despite an upcoming price hike from Scottish Water.
www.thenational.scot www.thenational.scot
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Good job I’ve got a full butt 😬
 
Enough already.
The whole lot needs nationalising again, and not just Thames water.
No new reservoir’s built. Leaks still everywhere. Old pipes.
Literally pumping shît into our rivers and seas.
Now another threatened hosepipe ban after a week of decent weather.
Stealth exorbitant price rises like the example above.
 
tangerine_neil said:
Enough already.
The whole lot needs nationalising again, and not just Thames water.
No new reservoir’s built. Leaks still everywhere. Old pipes.
Literally pumping shît into our rivers and seas.
Now another threatened hosepipe ban after a week of decent weather.
Stealth exorbitant price rises like the example above.
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We have a hosepipe ban as of yesterday here.

Maybe they should come out and sort the leak that has been running down the main road for three weeks.
 
Wizaard said:
We have a hosepipe ban as of yesterday here.

Maybe they should come out and sort the leak that has been running down the main road for three weeks.
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It's laughably frustrating. Absolute scammers. There are few countries which have more rainfall by hectare yet we've got no water......

I'd like to see them try to take anyone to court for using a hosepipe. I'd say that's pretty flawed in contract terms?
 
When they impose these hosepipe bans we should receive compensation in our water bills , there’s more than enough water in this country it’s just their incompetence bad management and failure to invest in their infrastructure that creates these situations.
 
tangerine_neil said:
Enough already.
The whole lot needs nationalising again, and not just Thames water.
No new reservoir’s built. Leaks still everywhere. Old pipes.
Literally pumping shît into our rivers and seas.
Now another threatened hosepipe ban after a week of decent weather.
Stealth exorbitant price rises like the example above.
Click to expand...
A hosepipe ban doesn't bother me, as soon as I knew a ban was coming I went to B&Q and bought 30 of them so I won't run out.
 
tangerine_neil said:
The whole lot needs nationalising again, and not just Thames water.
No new reservoir’s built. Leaks still everywhere. Old pipes.
Click to expand...
You do realize that if that did happen, all the money earmarked for investment or even maintenance, would get syphonned off to fund the next round of pay rises for striking train drivers or junior doctors, or just to fill the next black hole that Reeves blows in the public finances.

Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership, and with tens of millions more consumers as well.

Surge pricing seems like a mad policy, though.
 
Lost Seasider said:
You do realize that if that did happen, all the money earmarked for investment or even maintenance, would get syphonned off to fund the next round of pay rises for striking train drivers or junior doctors, or just to fill the next black hole that Reeves blows in the public finances.

Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership, and with tens of millions more consumers as well.

Surge pricing seems like a mad policy, though.
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"Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership"

In what way? Bills massively increased, money going abroad in dividends rather than being invested in the business, rivers used as open sewers while the companies falsify their pumping of said sewage...

I just don't see how things could be worse, never mind much better.
 
Lost Seasider said:
You do realize that if that did happen, all the money earmarked for investment or even maintenance, would get syphonned off to fund the next round of pay rises for striking train drivers or junior doctors, or just to fill the next black hole that Reeves blows in the public finances.

Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership, and with tens of millions more consumers as well.

Surge pricing seems like a mad policy, though.
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Deluded. Capital stripped, debt reversed into companies, bills increased, water quality of rivers and sea worse than 20 years ago, and you think that is much better.

The antithesis of capitalism
 
Scotland is under Govt ownership and bills are lower. Significantly lower. Maybe their SLT should train the private companies on efficiency?
 
Limechase said:
These foreign owners, just load the companies with massive debt, to give to shareholders, knowing the government (us) can't let them go bust, a win win for the owners, we should dig Maggie up and burn her....grrrrrr bitch hag from hell
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Who says we can't let them go bust.

All we need to do is put them into administration, sell off the assets as a going concern and pay off whatever debts they can.

Bad news for the lenders and shareholders, not the taxpayer or bill-payers problem.
 
On the point of "no new reservoirs", the following might interest you: Abingdon Reservoir.

The short version is that 20 years ago, Thames Water and others realized they would need more reservoir capacity by about 2020, so came up with plans to build the second largest in the country.

They then spent 6 years bouncing back and forth with the environment agency, who's brilliant Civil Servants thought they didn't need it, before being finally rejected in 2011, presumably on some spurious "climate change" grounds.

These are the same people who'd be running a nationalized system.
 
Chunkylad said:
Scotland is under Govt ownership and bills are lower. Significantly lower. Maybe their SLT should train the private companies on efficiency?
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Have you considered what other factors might lead to that?

Maybe subsidies by the Scottish Executive, geographical differences in supply and demand, that sort of thing?
 
Lost Seasider said:
Who says we can't let them go bust.

All we need to do is put them into administration, sell off the assets as a going concern and pay off whatever debts they can.

Bad news for the lenders and shareholders, not the taxpayer or bill-payers problem.
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What about the customers? Staff would fuck off without being paid
 
Lost Seasider said:
Have you considered what other factors might lead to that?

Maybe subsidies by the Scottish Executive, geographical differences in supply and demand, that sort of thing?
Click to expand...
I have, however I cannot find any evidence that that is the case. In fact if you look at the comparison of Scottish Water and the English firms then the difference appears to be akin to reduced profit taking and running costs.

The English firms have significantly higher dividend and exceptional payments to make for some reason?
 
Here's some numbers:

United Utilities

  • Revenue: Increased by 10.0% to £2,145.2 million, according to United Utilities's statement.

  • Operating Profit: Increased by 31.5% to £631.5 million.

  • Profit Before Tax: Increased significantly to £355.0 million.

  • Gross Profit Margin: Averaged 90.2% from fiscal years ending March 2021 to 2025.

  • Median Gross Profit: 2.224 billion from fiscal years ending March 2021 to 2025.

  • 5-year peak: Gross profit margin peaked in March 2025 at 91.1%.

Scottish Water (2023/24)
  • Revenue: £1.83 billion
  • Operating Costs: £1.44 billion
  • Operating Surplus: £210 million
  • Debt Servicing Costs: £150 million
  • Pre-tax Surplus: £60 million
 
Limechase said:
What about the customers? Staff would fuck off without being paid
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That's the point about administration, the business carries on as normal whilst the administrator sorts out the financial side.

That's the point about Thames, the current owners and lenders have been f***ed by the previous owners, but that's not a reason why the customers or government should suffer, simply re-organize, f*** the shareholders and lenders, and then just carry on.
 
Wizaard said:
We have a hosepipe ban as of yesterday here.

Maybe they should come out and sort the leak that has been running down the main road for three weeks.
Click to expand...
I once looked into water leakages in a professional capacity in relation to a study a client was undertaking down south. The amount of water being lost to leakages is absolutely staggering. Chronic lack of investment in maintenance.
 
EdgeleyTangerine said:
I once looked into water leakages in a professional capacity in relation to a study a client was undertaking down south. The amount of water being lost to leakages is absolutely staggering. Chronic lack of investment in maintenance.
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Can you tell me where we rank compared to similar nations?

Can you provide evidence for your claims?

My understanding is that we're far from exceptional, in fact better than average.
 
EdgeleyTangerine said:
I once looked into water leakages in a professional capacity in relation to a study a client was undertaking down south. The amount of water being lost to leakages is absolutely staggering. Chronic lack of investment in maintenance.
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But that's not the priority, shareholder dividend is king
 
Ask Google where we are in ranking for water price and the three dearest are Norway, Denmark then us.

The AI overview says there's a correlation between private water and dearer price.
 
Lost Seasider said:
Can you tell me where we rank compared to similar nations?

Can you provide evidence for your claims?

My understanding is that we're far from exceptional, in fact better than average.
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Yes I can provide evidence. The water authority was Cambridge Water. Their water resource management plan includes a baseline leakage forecast which says they are losing 13.2million litres a day from leakage.


You seem to be keen to defend private utility companies despite their service and performance for customers being awful. You’re either a major shareholder or related to Thatcher because I can’t see how anyone can possibly defend them.
 
Lost Seasider said:
I can usually supply links to reliable supporting evidence for my posts, you never do so, and your stock response when questioned is "it's common knowledge".

I'd suggest that you're the one suffering from delusions.
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There is a wealth of information in the media about the dividends taken out, the debts now owed by businesses which were debt free at Privatisation. The media is also full of Blue Badge beaches and swimming spots which no longer meet the requirements, in rivers due to agriculture and water companies, in the sea, all the water companies.

I always provide evidence in relation to your posts, you just don't like it. The world is not an academic magazine with citations.
 
Here's another interesting fact for you. In the 35 years prior to privatisation, 35 reservoirs were built to increase supply.

Since privatisation, none in England have been built, and 25 have been sold off for other use.

And we wonder why bills are going up. Scarcity increases a commodity's value.

Profiteering at the expense of national water security.
 
Lost Seasider said:
You do realize that if that did happen, all the money earmarked for investment or even maintenance, would get syphonned off to fund the next round of pay rises for striking train drivers or junior doctors, or just to fill the next black hole that Reeves blows in the public finances.

Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership, and with tens of millions more consumers as well.

Surge pricing seems like a mad policy, though.
Click to expand...
Things really aren’t better.
And why would they be, when it’s all about profits for companies and dividends for shareholders?
Tell that to the old dear who was walking her dog in Blackpool last month and slipped and cracked her head on a shît coated area near the sea front.
 
Lost Seasider said:
You do realize that if that did happen, all the money earmarked for investment or even maintenance, would get syphonned off to fund the next round of pay rises for striking train drivers or junior doctors, or just to fill the next black hole that Reeves blows in the public finances.

Things are still far, far better than they were under public ownership, and with tens of millions more consumers as well.

Surge pricing seems like a mad policy, though.
Click to expand...
I wondered when you’d be along to try to justify the scam.
 
I could see this coming , so purchased a water Butt from a local store (Approx £20) and fitted it a couple of weeks ago to the roof drain pipe. We now have adequate water for our small patch and the Butt fills up quite easily even with a little rain.
 
Wizaard said:
Here's another interesting fact for you. In the 35 years prior to privatisation, 35 reservoirs were built to increase supply.

Since privatisation, none in England have been built, and 25 have been sold off for other use.

And we wonder why bills are going up. Scarcity increases a commodity's value.

Profiteering at the expense of national water security.
Click to expand...
*lost mode on*

Are you sure? Where’s your evidence?

*lost mode off*

Greed has ruined this country and will continue to do so
 
tangerine_neil said:
Enough already.
The whole lot needs nationalising again, and not just Thames water.
No new reservoir’s built. Leaks still everywhere. Old pipes.
Literally pumping shît into our rivers and seas.
Now another threatened hosepipe ban after a week of decent weather.
Stealth exorbitant price rises like the example above.
Click to expand...
It would be an easy win for Labour. I can't see anyone disagreeing with it - perhaps the wilfully blind Daily Heil but no-one else.
 
Sooty59 said:
Perhaps we’d fair better is we had to desalinate like some hot countries seem to do. Still gets me that we mix shit with where our drinking water can come from.
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Since privatisation no new reservoirs built but loads gone and redeveloped. My son lives on a former reservoir site in West Leeds, ironically there is a hose pipe ban in the area.
 
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