'When will we stop paying for the mistakes of the water companies?' questions caller Herbie
2 June 2023, 15:26
Water companies' decision to reap money back for sewage spills through increasing bills, is "scandalous" says Sangita Myska.
Caller Herbie told Sangita, “I think it’s time for the water companies to lose their license to trade,” adding “They’re laughing all the way to the bank at our expense”.
Their conversation arose as water companies made a £10bn investment to stop sewage spills, which will be paid for by customers through "modest increases to their bills".
Demanding “Enough is enough”, Herbie disagreed with the proposal that customers pay for the sewage spills, saying: “Why should we always pay for it?”
Concurring with Herbie's viewpoint, Sangita labelled the behaviour as “scandalous”.
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Herbie informed Sangita of a “theory” he’s followed his whole life, saying: “When I make a mistake, I pay.
“When the banks make a mistake, I pay.
“When a government makes a mistake, I pay.
“When do we stop paying for all these people's mistakes, that they keep on digging up and putting on top of us?”
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Concluding, Herbie stated: “These people should go to jail, they’ve had the money, they’ve taken us for fools, and I think the fools are no longer going to take it”.
There has been public outrage over the multi-million-pound bonuses and dividends paid to water company bosses, despite the vast levels of sewage pumped into UK rivers.
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Critics have questioned why water firms aren’t fronting the money to fix the problems themselves, with musician and clean river campaigner Feargal Sharkey saying the announcement is "nothing to celebrate whatsoever".
