The behaviour of personal water firms is broadly recognised as unacceptable: they flout rules, trigger important environmental hurt, neglect their tasks, and nonetheless pay monumental sums to administrators and shareholders. Ofwat’s rulings and fines seem ineffective, typically penalising shoppers (Letters, 18 August), whereas renationalisation is dismissed as prohibitively costly.
We suggest another technique of controlling private-sector firms – change Ofwat’s financial fines with state-owned voting shares of equal worth. This strategy would have a number of quick advantages. By exercising shareholder rights, the state – on behalf of the general public – might straight affect firm insurance policies; the general public purse would achieve income from dividends; and over time, because the state’s shareholding elevated, full nationalisation would turn out to be financially possible.Dr Ruth Sinclair and Dr Jill VincentLoughborough, Leicestershire
Your article says that not a single reservoir has been constructed since water privatisation (How can England presumably be working out of water?, 17 August). However near 100 have been constructed within the 35 years previous to privatisation. The plundering of our public providers and pure assets is a nationwide shame. Public possession is the one method to finish this grisly affair.John LockwoodCarshalton, London
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