Severn Trent Water

Advantages: Clean drinking water, in some areas fluoride water
Disadvantages: Monopoly, no alternative supplier, profits before people

Severn Trent Water is one of ten privatised water companies supplying water in the UK. It was was the Water Act of 1973 which created Severn Trent from the amalgamation of at least 25 publc authorities incuding Birmingham and Nottingham water boards. It supplies water to 8 million plus people and is regulated by OFWAT. In 2005, it was ordered to repay £4m back to customers for over-charging. Further fraud investigations and fraud allegations and ...
...is the monopoly status of Severn Trent. For example, they will send a bill out in six month intervals and expect you to pay all of it within 10 days of the date of the letter! When I questioned this to them, they referred me to the law and how credit might be affected if you don't pay on time. Effectively, it is their way of saying either go on Direct Debit or we will use the law. In my view, water is not a commodity, it is a necessity for us all. ... Read review