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To: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Allow people to choose their own water supplier
Remove the water monopoly to create a healthy competition, which would result in a healthier market, cheaper prices and better overall water quality and customer service. Meanwhile, allow people and not only businesses to choose their own water supplier.
Why is this important?
"Competing companies have a clear incentive to get all of these elements right, so consumers do not take their business elsewhere.This puts them under constant pressure to improve in order to win and keep customers, and to gain market share.
At present, water and sewerage services in England and Wales are not subject to this kind of competition. Most consumers are served by one of 21 monopoly companies. Only large business consumers can switch supplier if they can get a better deal elsewhere."
(p. 3, "Putting water consumers first – how can we challenge monopoly companies to improve? Water today, water tomorrow" - http://bit.ly/1k53LjF )
Checking that all the 21 water companies do meet the basic service standards is not acceptable when the documentation unveils that some of those companies are often not able to even meet the targets set (as Pollution incidents sewerage, Serious pollution incidents sewerage, Pollution incidents (water), Discharge permit compliance, Water supply interruptions - hours per total properties served and Internal sewer flooding incident often appeared to be below the customer expectations or, worse, significantly below target or expectation for the year 2011/2012). [source: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulating/reporting/rpt_los2012table]
Nevertheless, as customers we are unable to counteract the poor customer service, the rising costs for water and sewage as we are forced into a contract with the company serving the local area.
Further reading here: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/pricereview/prs_web_1007pricelimits
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487626/Dont-water-bills-ministers-plead-suppliers.html
At present, water and sewerage services in England and Wales are not subject to this kind of competition. Most consumers are served by one of 21 monopoly companies. Only large business consumers can switch supplier if they can get a better deal elsewhere."
(p. 3, "Putting water consumers first – how can we challenge monopoly companies to improve? Water today, water tomorrow" - http://bit.ly/1k53LjF )
Checking that all the 21 water companies do meet the basic service standards is not acceptable when the documentation unveils that some of those companies are often not able to even meet the targets set (as Pollution incidents sewerage, Serious pollution incidents sewerage, Pollution incidents (water), Discharge permit compliance, Water supply interruptions - hours per total properties served and Internal sewer flooding incident often appeared to be below the customer expectations or, worse, significantly below target or expectation for the year 2011/2012). [source: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulating/reporting/rpt_los2012table]
Nevertheless, as customers we are unable to counteract the poor customer service, the rising costs for water and sewage as we are forced into a contract with the company serving the local area.
Further reading here: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/pricereview/prs_web_1007pricelimits
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487626/Dont-water-bills-ministers-plead-suppliers.html
