| ▲ | tome 4 days ago | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I'm inclined to agree that privatisation is bad for long term planning, but the history of the Abingdon Reservoir proposal seems to be counter evidence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abingdon_Reservoir Looks like Thames Water (a private company) proposed the development nearly 20 years ago, but it was turned down by the Environment Agency, a government body. > Plans for a £1bn reservoir in Oxfordshire to supply more than eight million people over the next 25 years have been rejected by the government. > Thames Water wants to build a site on four square miles of land near Abingdon to help ensure future demand is met. > The bid went to a public inquiry but the secretary of state said there was "no immediate need" for such a site. "Abingdon £1bn reservoir plan rejected by government" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | zarzavat 4 days ago | parent | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Good find, I admit I had jumped on the Thames Water is Evil bandwagon, and for the record they are evil, but in this case they have been out-eviled by that other driver of British societal regression: > Campaigners had fought the plan, claiming there was no need for such a large reservoir and that it would damage the environment. > Leader of the Vale of White Horse Council Tony de Vere said: "We are delighted with this decision. > "Local residents were very worried about the impact of such a large reservoir and we share their relief that the plan has been axed." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ▲ | jamessb 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Oxford Clarion has had several posts about the proposed Abingdon damn: https://oxfordclarion.uk/water-why-abingdons-mega-reservoir-... https://oxfordclarion.uk/abingdon-reservoir-is-there-an-alte... https://oxfordclarion.uk/abingdon-reservoir-what-are-the-ris... https://oxfordclarion.uk/abingdon-reservoir-how-much-will-it... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | joshuaissac 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Privatisation should be accompanied with legal responsibility to build/maintain infrastructure for the future. If a government agency blocks the development, this liability should shift to them, to disincentivise unnecessarily blocking development. But for something like water supply, there should be more competition via legally mandated unbundling, like with Internet service providers and energy suppliers who use the same delivery infrastructure while competing with each other. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | blitzar 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
> Thames Water's computer-generated image of how the reservoir would look We have come a long way in computer generated images in 14 years. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | Yeul 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ah but this is an argument against private ownership. The ultimate power, including violence, lies with the federal government. Thames water can't shoot dead protesters or council members but the government definitely can and will. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | ajmurmann 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not surprised by this since the parent comments "30 years" in general seem to coincide with the timeframe when we stopped building in the west in general. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ▲ | 4 days ago | parent | prev [-] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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