Sir, There is an urgent need for the increased storage of water and gas. We are faced with a recurrent shortage of water in the South East (report, Mar 13) and a surplus in the North. If moving water over long distances to redress the balance is too costly, we should build more reservoirs in the South East to make the best use of the rain there is.
We are now more than 60 per cent dependent on imported gas and the percentage is rising. We increasingly run the risk of interruptions in import flows at peak winter periods. Yet we have gas storage capacity well below that of our main continental neighbours. This should be put right.
Among the many infrastructure priorities which need attention, water and gas storage rank highly.
Lord Ezra
House of Lords
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Sir, For many of us in the South East, a water shortage and hosepipe ban is now imminent. Obviously, water is an essential commodity and we all have a responsibility to use it wisely, but the current anticipated shortage puts in to question the very structure of how we maintain an adequate supply. Unlike gas and electricity, ordinary householders have no choice of supplier other than through where they choose to live.
The water companies, through the regulator Ofwat, have to fulfil certain obligations regarding supply. However, this fails to address the supply of water on a national basis because as profit-making companies, the water suppliers are also obliged to their shareholders who expect a return on their investment. The dilemma is that individual water companies are not prepared to invest in the costly infrastructure that is required to re-distribute water from areas where there is an abundant supply. When essential commodities or services are supplied by private companies, there will always be a situation where national interests conflict with commercial priorities; you only have to look at our hapless rail network to appreciate that.
The Government needs to step in and take control of the infrastructure.
John Walton
Shepperton, Middx