Floods show that water is not scarce in the UK

Notion that water in the UK is scarce and that costly water privatisation should beabandoned, says GMB.Instead national planning is needed with a single body like the Water Resources Board given enough money and responsibility to deal with both flood defences and drought and metering should be downgraded says GMB

GMB, the union for water workers, commented on the flooding that is widespread across the country and on the official policy of Environment Agency, OFWAT, Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee and others that water in parts of the UK is over- abstracted and that water needs to be saved by higher prices using meters. See notes to editors for statements from some bodies.

Gary Smith, GMB National Secretary for energy and utilities, said "The notion that water is scarce in the UK is idiotic as the pictures of widespread flooding show. Yet, unbelievably, this ridiculous idea serves as the basis for public policy for water industry.

The top priorities for water, of flood defences at times of heavy rainfall in areas prone to flooding and having enough capacity to transfer and store water from areas of plenty to areas with shortages at times of low rainfall, are downgraded as a direct result of such nonsense. Spending on flood defences have been cut while water companies spend money on water meters to save water.

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