In a way we are fortunate that there is rainfall practically every week, unlike most countries where rainfall is seasonal, monsoon drenches India for some three months in summer while we had all our rainfall in Tanzania, from late March to mid-May. Yet we never experienced water shortages, even in scorching summer months of December and January, temperature touching 40*C.
Here in England if we do not get rainfall for a month, there is water shortages, even water restrictions, unable to water our gardens. But there are more problems with storms, floods and rivers overflowing, that causes millions of pounds of damages to homes and businesses. Yet government pays lip service, when it comes to making these rivers safe by building walls at strategic points where rivers normally overflows. Instead government’s hotchpotch approach is half-hearted, preaching poverty, wait until there is flood and then use Chinook helicopters to seal britches, most expensive and a flimsy way to manage floods. At one time UK used to govern one third of the world, now we cannot govern efficiently our own country!
The sensible solution is to create water reservoirs inland, near major rivers that habitually overflow, diverting flood water to fill these reservoirs which can be used during summer months when demand for water is high. When water companies were privatized, many small reservoirs were drained and land sold for housing. No wonder Labour is unhappy at the management and would like to renationalize these valuable profit-making assets, for the good of the nation, as our water bills have rocketed since privatization.
Many such water companies are owned by foreign governments and profit used to subsidized their own consumers. This is indeed a disgrace, as not only water but also gas, electricity, airports and other valuable national assets are owned by foreign governments where they jealously guard their own such assets with fair or foul means, breaking EU rules with ease and contempt. When our sincere, kind and caring politicians would shed their inhibition, learn to be street-wise and look after our own long suffering citizens!
Kumudini Valambia
By email
