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Stinking Questions for Water Companies

Leading an Open Day at a Water Treatment Works.

Many water companies offer ‘open days’, as a PR exercise, to ‘inform the public’ about the work that goes on at a water treatment works. Frequency may vary, or may even now be being stopped, due to the public outcry over their shocking performances.

Stinking Questions to Ask

Once you're at the open day, you can start asking 'stinking questions' to try and get answers from the water company. Alternatively you could write to anyone (and everyone) involved creating and maintaining in the dismal state of our water courses.

Other people you could target

The Water Company’s CEO / PR Person / Board Member / Water Authority / Ofwat / Environment Agency (in the nations) / Marine Management Organisation / Port of London Authority / The Voice for Water Consumers / Port Authorities.

The questions

  • How do you sleep at night given the massive public backlash against the profiteering of your business, while charging ‘captive customers’ for sewerage fees to customers, given lack of effective spending here and a cost of living crisis?
  • Does your board acknowledge that the massive retention of revenues for bonuses for them and shareholders has been at the cost of the health of hundreds of communities in your catchment area?
  • How do you feel the current business model needs to increase participation and representation of local people in decision making, given they are your captive audience in a monopolistic system?
  • Apart from installing monitors to record accurately your shit outpourings, what will you do in relation to storage of shit in future for recycling into fuel?
  • What plans do you have for nature solutions to water filtration and cleaning in future? What budget plans?
  • Do you feel your current licensing for release of shit into rivers and streams is fit for purpose? If not, what will you be doing about that?
  • How well does this water treatment plant handle the back end load from users?
  • What do you see as the challenges for water treatment of climate change?
  • What do you think are the biggest problems of population increase in your catchment area?
  • Which headwaters and streams are potentially the most vulnerable to overload in your catchment area?
  • Have their been any fines levied on [Company name] for legal infractions? If so, what impact did that have on bonuses for the board, if any and shareholder divi’s?
  • What is needed for optimum capacity of treatment?
  • Are you informed of the implications of local plans in relation to residential or industrial developments?

Got more ideas for questions?!

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