‘Should it all just be renationalised?’ – your water crisis questions answered
Sandra Laville has been reporting on England’s sewage crisis for years. She answered your questions on the water privatisation scandal. Hosted by Guardian Moderators Wed 8 Apr 2026 15.57 CEST 221 Prefer the Guardian on Google
Guardian environment correspondent Sandra Laville’s reporting on the sewage crisis in English water has helped to expose a scandal of privatisation that has created a swell of fury across the political divide.
Sandra has now finished answering your questions. Read the Q&A below.
Yes, privatisation without competition is legalised grift
@GreyShuck
Depends. If you live in the UK and don’t like turds bobbing down your local stream, then yes. If you are running the companies and making billions by ripping everyone else off, then no. Seems a bit of a no-brainer. The billionaires will win. They always do.How is this even a question? Thatcher essentially precipitated a corporate takeover of public life but the English have a horrible record in this area generally. The overthrow of democratically elected Iranian government in 1953 for the temerity of wanting to benefit from the resources under their own feet, is a particularly egregious example. Behind the scenes is the influence of the billionaire ghouls, whispering their diabolical plans out of one side of their mouths and polluting the media with the other.
