COMMENT


The UK’s dirty big not-so secret


I


wrote a couple of weeks ago in the Editor’s Blog online about the disgraceful, nay, disgusting levels of discharge of raw sewage into our rivers and seas in 2002. And 2021. And, indeed in 2023. It bears repeating here because it is one of the biggest scandals to beset our privatised utilities sector.


In 2022, raw sewage from water companies across England and Wales was pumped into rivers and seas for 1 million hours, on average 825 times per day. One million hours is 41,000 days. Or, all day, every day for 112 years. That’s according to the Environment Agency, the real numbers are likely to be far, far higher. The privatised water companies claim that they only discharge sewage into the sea in exceptional circumstances, and after unprecedented weather events that mean their normal storm drains and pipes cannot cope.. Storm drains and pipes that were installed under Queen Victoria and haven’t been touched since. To do so, of course, would mean dipping into the lovely buckets of profit and shareholder dividends and CEO bonus-pots. Of course, they could also raise the money from their customers, increasing water bills five, six, seven, eight-fold. It worked for the energy providers.


Back to the bonuses. Two days ago, (May 9) the Times, which has been doing a rather splendid amount of campaigning on this dirty topic, revealed that three of the CEOs of the water companies - South West Water, Thames Water and Yorkshire Water - are giving back the eye-watering bonuses they received last year. Alas, any good feeling engendered by that has been largely obliterated by one of today’s headlines in the same paper: “Dorset’s River Lim declared ‘ecologically dead’ after sewage spills triple”. What the article goes on to say is that 20% of all rivers in England are graded as being in ‘Poor’ or ‘Bad’ ecological condition. In other words, dead.


CONTACTS Builders Merchants Journal


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EDITORIAL


Group Managing Editor: Fiona Russell Horne 01622 699101 07721 841382 frussell-horne@datateam.co.uk


Assistant editor Anjali Sooknanan 01622 699106


asooknanan@datateam.co.uk Here’s another story from East Anglia Bylines from


today: Anglian Water has received a huge fine for a sewage discharge in the North Sea, amounting to three Olympic-sized swimming pools” The privatised water company discharged 7.5million litres of raw sewage into the water at Jaywick, a little coastal village near Clacton-on-Sea. Not over a number of years, but over a couple of months in the Summer. Yes, the season when, even in Essex, people like to be beside the seaside. Industry regulator Ofwat wants the private water companies to link senior bosses’ bonuses to whether or not they meet pollution targets. So, I suppose, three of them handling back those bonuses, the year after an average pay-rise of 20%, is a start. Of sorts. The privatisation of the utility companies was ideologically-driven in the 1980s. In the beginning, it may have been the idea that we could all own a little bit of the companies that supply our services. But now? Foreign investment firms, private equity, pension funds and businesses lodged in tax havens own more than 70% of the water industry in England. The fine meted out to Anglian Water could probably be settled from petty cash; there is simply not enough jeopardy for these companies.


How much does it say about the effectiveness of those we vote in to govern us that the biggest dissenting voice campaigning for cleaner waters in the UK comes from Feargal Sharkey, the former Undertones singer? He’s amazing, but it shouldn’t be down to him. Government needs to do more. The country deserves better than this. Our environment deserves better than this. We – our children and grandchildren - deserve better than this. BMJ


Fiona Russell-Horne Group Managing Editor - BMJ


“


He might have gone down to the ill-smelling river that was dyed black, might have gone to bed in it for good and all, and have curtained his head for ever with its filthy waters


CONTENTS 8 News Extra


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10 People


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12 Business helpdesk The BMF renews focus on safety


14 Buying Focus How technology helps NMBS and members


15 In Person


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16 Viewpoint High performances, customer retention and noise pollution


20 Merchant Focus Beers expands in the north west


24 Merchant Focus Thompsons of Crew Hill focus on landscaping


26 Insulation


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May 2023 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 3


What merchants need to know to make the most of the sector


33 Kitchens Splashbacks and new sinks


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38 BMF Industry Voice The news and views from the BMF


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