Consumers should not be scapegoats
Your article (see August issue ) informing us that households will bear the brunt of an anti-drought plan rekindles the argument that more should be done to stop leakages in the water distribution systems.
According to the 2014 report of the L’Office national de l’eau et des milieux aquatiques (Onema), 20% of the volume of drinking water introduced into the system is lost by leakages.
I have asked Onema to update this inform-ation and await their reply.
Véolia’s own annual report for 2018 shows an operating profit of €1.6billion on a turnover of nearly €26billion.
Before burdening consumers, the government should be tackling the water shortage issue by:
1) Insisting that water comp-anies spend more of their profits on leakage prevention;
2) Installing more water retention areas to keep more of the heavy winter rainfall that disappears into the sea. This should also alleviate flooding;
3) Taxing farmers and industry at the same rate as consumers.
Geoffrey Auckland, Loir-et-Cher
Geoffrey Auckland wins the Connexion letter of the month for September 2019 and a copy of the Connexion Puzzle Book. Please include your name and address in any correspondence; we can withhold it on request. The Editor’s decision is final. Write to: The Connexion, Patio Palace, 41 avenue Hector Otto, 98000 Monaco or emailnews@connexionfrance.com
