London: Crumbling Utilities?

Clean running water is something most Londoners take for granted, until, of course, it is not there.

Residents were getting water from tanks and stand pipes

Thousands of households in south London had to learn to live without water for five days this week, and survive on stand pipes and bottled hand outs while Thames Water fixed the burst mains pipe causing the chaos.

London's water supplier blames clay soil drying out during the hot summer for the problem but its thought that half of the capital's 20,000 mile water mains network is over 100 years old and in desperate need of repair or replacement.

An Ofwat report last year found the company leaked more than 860 mega-litres per day, representing a third of its supply.

Thames Water has told BBC London that a £70million plan to stem the leakages has so far failed.

London's worst power cut in ten years

This week politicians have been investigating August's black out which hit the tube and huge swathes of South East England.

Wimbledon substation did not have sufficient capacity for change in power flows

National Grid Transco has admitted the cut was caused by incorrectly installed equipment.

Members of the London Assembly probed the communications chaos and wanted to know why the Mayor was not informed that the loss of power did not herald the beginning of a terrorist attack.

The Government has decided to launch its own investigation.

Crumbling Utilities?

Could London be set for further problems in its water and electricity supply?

Some believe the water industry is facing a 'Railtrack style crisis' unless the cost of investment is passed onto consumers.

Privatisation and deregulation in the energy industry are being examined to see if they played a part in the black out.

Has profit and share holder interest led to cuts in investment?

And what for the future?

Someone has to pay for improvements and reliability in our utility provision but whether consumers are prepared to stump up for a system they can rely on, rain or shine, is a hard question to answer.

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