Water is essential to life and health, yet the Tories sold off the industry to their friends, giving the water companies £1 billion and simultaneously writing off all pre-privatisation debts.
Now we have a private monopoly whose only concern is maximising profits.
A new report, Water Poverty commissioned by West Midlands Public Health Authority, shows that with privatisation came massive price-fixing above the rate of inflation, and far above what people on low incomes can afford.
In the last five years water charges have risen by more than 50 per cent. Disconnections rose from 1,171 in 1981-82 to 21,286 in 1991-92.
In the Midlands, Trent Water is introducing pre-payment meters for those people who have difficulty in paying.
Water companies have to go to court before they can disconnect a water supply, but with pre-payment meters the water companies don't have to go to court. The onus for disconnection is transferred to the individual who can ill afford to pay the excessive charges.
Socialist The companies argue there is not a case of "can't pay', it is a question of 'won't pay'. OFFWAT, the so-called watchdog back of the water industry, backs this view.
In Birmingham alone there are 465,000 people officially recognised as being on low incomes - 51 percent of the citizens of Birmingham living on the margins of poverty. Four thousand people per year go to neighbourhood offices for help in paying their water bill.
All new houses have Volunen meters fitted to their nomes. Ihis means dramatically increased bills. Quarterly bills ranging from £85 to £165 are not uncommon.
No choice These people have no choice. It is reported that in one household the occupants did not flush their lavatory during the day, only doing so at night before going to bed.
Other people are known to have cut back on baths and to only wash their hands after using the toilet. We all know of the increased health risks this means.
One person undergoing renal dialysis received a bill for £530. Another family reported being in dread of an elderly relative coming home from hospital because they of the increased cost of washing the bed linen daily.
In recent times there have been two parliamentary attempts to outlaw disconnections, which have been talked out by Tory backbenchers.
A parliamentary all-party committee has been established to examine some of these issues. We know that OFFWAT, in collusion with the governthat we need to pay more to prove the sewers.
We, the consumers, are going to have to pay for all this at and are between improved quality with higher prices, or improvements not happening.
This is not the choice. If we want an end to profiteers imposing water poverty, the water companies have to be taken back into public ownership.
We can ensure that this industry is run by the workers in alliance with the users of the industry. In the meantime, we must fight for the right of people in England and Wales to have the same right to water as in Scotland. Some have done very nicely from water privatisation