Comment on the BBC website explaining that as the North (with its excessive rainfall) is 'higher up' than the South wont water naturally follow the gradient and therefore no extensive pumping is required...?
Perhaps the reason for this and many other problems is that this kind of person is in a position of power and making the decisions?
these are my thoughts and not some i've copied and pasted from another website:-
"Why has no-one ever even mentioned desalination? One plant bulit in the right place would be able to supply enough water not just to cover drought conditions, but would help put a stop to draining valuable natural habitats and the depletion of groundwater throughout the Sout East.
Funny how there has been no mention of the new housing and the lack of water infrastructure for the new housing. I thought there were pipes from the north of the country but reports say that there isn't any.
so why do we keep adding to the problem, by overdeveloping a drought area, and with no obvious means of increasing the water supply?
Always baffles me as to why places like Florida and Spain never seem to have issues like this?
All very predictable. I've noted how companies seem to be getting greedier as the economy gets worse. I've already been hit very hard by my electricity supplier, and have been duly waiting for the inevitable water rates rise. They are all at it right now and pretty soon I will be finished as a entity with finances. This is the pre-requisite that water companies have been waiting for".
Call me a cynical old git if you like but before Christmas Southern Water were putting in water meters, whether you wanted them or not, like they were going out of fashion. My house is exhibit A.
I think Maconate is right that Southern Water and Thames will justify hefty rises and the government will be happy as they will take a cut via a stealth tax but call it climate change levy or something.
Working mugs like me and you will be even worse off.
We shouldn't need desalination. We have enough rainfall and mountain springs. What we don't have is a properly maintain water pipeine stystem. Just have a walk around London at the moment or listen to the travel news and hear how many burst watermain there are. There is one in Lewisham which has been throwing water over the road for over a week.
If we properly invested in the system and relaxed during the chaos of installation then the long-run would be much rosier.
On a slightly different note...........we treat all water the same - whether we are going to drink it or wash the car with it. Somehow we need to filter (lol) the different types of water & only spend money treating water we are going to drink - and then we could maybe use rainwater etc for washing up etc.
De-salination requires huge amouts of energy which at the moment makes it economically prohibative, not to mention dubious environmentally unless you are sourcing renewable energy.
Most new developments are required to incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems that return as much surface water to the underlying aquifer as possible and don't just send it all into Drains->River->Sea. We should also be encouraging new house to include water capture and recycling systems, water butts and bio-digesters, that sort of thing. You can do you bit in you own garden by not haveing a completely paved front drive, for exmple.
Car washes, at least newly installed ones, are supposed to have a water recycling system but older ones do not and I doubt your aveage group of Kosovans setting up a hand car wash worry about getting one installed.
We are completely decadent with our use of water these days - things like pre-cooked rice for example use a huge amount of water to produce and there are just too many people in the UK, although I would like to distance myself from SE10s angle on that.
As has been stated- the north of the country gets too much rain, so all that is needed is pipes to transfer some of it down south - would be cheaper than desalination.
As has been stated- the north of the country gets too much rain, so all that is needed is pipes to transfer some of it down south - would be cheaper than desalination.
Better still would be to make a proper effort to distribute the population more evenly away from the South East.
Apparently the wettest April on record has made "no difference" to the drought - in fact I was reading one experts comments earlier who was suggesting that the drought had actually worsened in some places.
Apparently the problem is that the rain is either falling on hard ground and washing straight into rivers, etc, or else is being soaked up in the ground and - shock horror - hoovered up by thirsty plants.
I'm no expert, but surely that's what rain does - it either washes straight into rivers or else gets soaked up in the ground. If an extremely wet April makes "no difference" then I would suggest that we're completely f*cked in the long term unless we actually start looking at ways to keep hold of a bit more of the stuff when it falls!
Apparently the wettest April on record has made "no difference" to the drought - in fact I was reading one experts comments earlier who was suggesting that the drought had actually worsened in some places.
Apparently the problem is that the rain is either falling on hard ground and washing straight into rivers, etc, or else is being soaked up in the ground and - shock horror - hoovered up by thirsty plants.
I'm no expert, but surely that's what rain does - it either washes straight into rivers or else gets soaked up in the ground. If an extremely wet April makes "no difference" then I would suggest that we're completely f*cked in the long term unless we actually start looking at ways to keep hold of a bit more of the stuff when it falls!
Or the Water Companies do more to stop the huge amount of water that pours away on a daily basis from broken pipes etc
Wash your mouth out dickplumb - they've got shareholders to look after !
Seriously though, although they lose a hell of a lot through leaks, it seems to me that their systems don't really do enough to catch enough of the stuff in the first place - especially if the "experts" are to be believe that the latest downfall has made "no difference".
I was reading earlier that some parts of the South West have currently got drought warnings AND flood warnings in place at the same time. How on earth can that ever be the case!
As has been stated- the north of the country gets too much rain, so all that is needed is pipes to transfer some of it down south - would be cheaper than desalination.
Wash your mouth out dickplumb - they've got shareholders to look after !
Seriously though, although they lose a hell of a lot through leaks, it seems to me that their systems don't really do enough to catch enough of the stuff in the first place - especially if the "experts" are to be believe that the latest downfall has made "no difference".
I was reading earlier that some parts of the South West have currently got drought warnings AND flood warnings in place at the same time. How on earth can that ever be the case!
I totally agree with what you say.It is bizarre that you can have a drought warning and a fllod warning at the same time.
Apparently the wettest April on record has made "no difference" to the drought - in fact I was reading one experts comments earlier who was suggesting that the drought had actually worsened in some places.
Apparently the problem is that the rain is either falling on hard ground and washing straight into rivers, etc, or else is being soaked up in the ground and - shock horror - hoovered up by thirsty plants.
I'm no expert, but surely that's what rain does - it either washes straight into rivers or else gets soaked up in the ground. If an extremely wet April makes "no difference" then I would suggest that we're completely f*cked in the long term unless we actually start looking at ways to keep hold of a bit more of the stuff when it falls!
The water companies using the exorbitant charges they make from compulsory metering to mend leaks would be a good start!
Much more important to pay their executives high salaries as "incentives" in a non-competitive environment though.
Thank you Thatcher and others for selling our water to foreign companies.
Apparently the wettest April on record has made "no difference" to the drought - in fact I was reading one experts comments earlier who was suggesting that the drought had actually worsened in some places.
Apparently the problem is that the rain is either falling on hard ground and washing straight into rivers, etc, or else is being soaked up in the ground and - shock horror - hoovered up by thirsty plants.
I'm no expert, but surely that's what rain does - it either washes straight into rivers or else gets soaked up in the ground. If an extremely wet April makes "no difference" then I would suggest that we're completely f*cked in the long term unless we actually start looking at ways to keep hold of a bit more of the stuff when it falls!
Haven't you heard ? its the wrong kind of rain , along with the wrong kind of snow /ice /leaves/wind ........ feel free to add your own .
Am I the only one that was praying for the rain a few weeks ago? For a roofing company, no rain = no leaks = no work = no money! The recent wet weather now means the phone is ringing again and our services are required. Long may it continue.
I'm no expert, but a friend who teaches geography explained it to me in layman's terms; From what he said, my understanding is that it's the result of a succession of excessively dry winters. The problem with explaining this to the masses is, we don't notice it because even a "dry" winter involves quite a bit of rain, so people struggle to get it as a concept. (This is why so many people ask how it's possible to be a drought when it's raining.) Anyway, this has caused the water table to get lower year on year leaving us in the situation where even heavy rainfall makes little difference because added to the facts that the dry ground can't absorb it quick enough and so a large amount runs off as waste, you have all the thirsty vegetation getting as much as they can and once all that's happened, we're then only starting to replenish stoks that are already low. If we'd had lighter, but more frequent rain over a longer period of time, the issue wouldn't exist. Also, if we now have a loooong period of more than average rainfall, the situation will start to resolve itself - but a few days of absolutely pissing it down won't make much, if any, difference at all.
Like I say, I'm no expert, but that's the gist of what he told me.
Comments
Perhaps the reason for this and many other problems is that this kind of person is in a position of power and making the decisions?
I have a basement filled with bags of powdered water, and some dry ice in the loft somewhere.
Just say sorry.
: - )
It makes a change not to be Soggy Red.
In the remote South West, we've got the most expensive water in Britain.
And lots of it.
How much do you want to buy?
these are my thoughts and not some i've copied and pasted from another website:-
"Why has no-one ever even mentioned desalination?
One plant bulit in the right place would be able to supply enough water not just to cover drought conditions, but would help put a stop to draining valuable natural habitats and the depletion of groundwater throughout the Sout East.
Funny how there has been no mention of the new housing and the lack of water infrastructure for the new housing. I thought there were pipes from the north of the country but reports say that there isn't any.
so why do we keep adding to the problem, by overdeveloping a drought area, and with no obvious means of increasing the water supply?
Always baffles me as to why places like Florida and Spain never seem to have issues like this?
All very predictable. I've noted how companies seem to be getting greedier as the economy gets worse. I've already been hit very hard by my electricity supplier, and have been duly waiting for the inevitable water rates rise. They are all at it right now and pretty soon I will be finished as a entity with finances. This is the pre-requisite that water companies have been waiting for".
Not for long. Stock up now or else.
I think Maconate is right that Southern Water and Thames will justify hefty rises and the government will be happy as they will take a cut via a stealth tax but call it climate change levy or something.
Working mugs like me and you will be even worse off.
If we properly invested in the system and relaxed during the chaos of installation then the long-run would be much rosier.
a) hosepipe ban
b) Greek default
c) BWP scores a goal
d) Torres scores a goal
e) everyone likes Douglas Alexander
f) Curbs gets a job
Great Britian is an island and we are surrounded by the stuff.
Nor any drop to drink.
Oh... wait...
Most new developments are required to incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems that return as much surface water to the underlying aquifer as possible and don't just send it all into Drains->River->Sea. We should also be encouraging new house to include water capture and recycling systems, water butts and bio-digesters, that sort of thing. You can do you bit in you own garden by not haveing a completely paved front drive, for exmple.
Car washes, at least newly installed ones, are supposed to have a water recycling system but older ones do not and I doubt your aveage group of Kosovans setting up a hand car wash worry about getting one installed.
We are completely decadent with our use of water these days - things like pre-cooked rice for example use a huge amount of water to produce and there are just too many people in the UK, although I would like to distance myself from SE10s angle on that.
;o)
Apparently the problem is that the rain is either falling on hard ground and washing straight into rivers, etc, or else is being soaked up in the ground and - shock horror - hoovered up by thirsty plants.
I'm no expert, but surely that's what rain does - it either washes straight into rivers or else gets soaked up in the ground. If an extremely wet April makes "no difference" then I would suggest that we're completely f*cked in the long term unless we actually start looking at ways to keep hold of a bit more of the stuff when it falls!
Seriously though, although they lose a hell of a lot through leaks, it seems to me that their systems don't really do enough to catch enough of the stuff in the first place - especially if the "experts" are to be believe that the latest downfall has made "no difference".
I was reading earlier that some parts of the South West have currently got drought warnings AND flood warnings in place at the same time. How on earth can that ever be the case!
Much more important to pay their executives high salaries as "incentives" in a non-competitive environment though.
Thank you Thatcher and others for selling our water to foreign companies.
EDIT: You did ask Offy
http://eureferendum.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/government-begins-at-home.html
and
http://www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=82438
and
http://www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=70096
:-)
For a roofing company, no rain = no leaks = no work = no money!
The recent wet weather now means the phone is ringing again and our services are required.
Long may it continue.
From what he said, my understanding is that it's the result of a succession of excessively dry winters. The problem with explaining this to the masses is, we don't notice it because even a "dry" winter involves quite a bit of rain, so people struggle to get it as a concept. (This is why so many people ask how it's possible to be a drought when it's raining.)
Anyway, this has caused the water table to get lower year on year leaving us in the situation where even heavy rainfall makes little difference because added to the facts that the dry ground can't absorb it quick enough and so a large amount runs off as waste, you have all the thirsty vegetation getting as much as they can and once all that's happened, we're then only starting to replenish stoks that are already low. If we'd had lighter, but more frequent rain over a longer period of time, the issue wouldn't exist. Also, if we now have a loooong period of more than average rainfall, the situation will start to resolve itself - but a few days of absolutely pissing it down won't make much, if any, difference at all.
Like I say, I'm no expert, but that's the gist of what he told me.