Thames Water: Is BanburyFM fake news?

Published : Saturday 13 August 2022

Thames Water fails to meet targets, fails to invest, and all while making huge profits and inflating prices. Worse still, the mainstream media covers for them ...

When the media isn’t peddling a narrative for the government and their paymasters, they are writing inflammatory headlines and misrepresenting facts to garner more clicks. More recently it seems to be about dividing and conquering, perhaps as a distraction for corrupt governments and corporations …

… and it is happening again.

Now that energy companies have been given free reign to rob us blind and we face a “cold dark winter”, it seems to be the turn of water companies to take us for a ride.

Before I go on, I’ve set up a facebook group so we can start to think about how we come together to tackle such issues. After reading this, please like the page and we’ll figure the rest out as we go!

Recently I spotted a post on Facebook about the local Grimsbury reservoir. It read “We are now officially in a drought in the Banbury FM area. This was Grimsbury reservoir Friday afternoon.” 

Oh no!

Banbury fm grimsby reservoir
Banbury fm grimsby reservoir
(Click for full resolution)

I walk and jog around this reservoir all the time and when I first glanced at the photo I noticed a buoy out of the water. Knowing this area well, I also know that the concrete strip is where local anglers go fishing.  

It seemed fairly obvious that the photo was being presented out of context. 

With it being a glorious sunny Saturday I grabbed my camera and set off for a walk and took a few photos from various angles to make a point. 

And what do you know, the reservoir is full to the normal water line and the Buoy had been pulled on to the bank.

banbury-grimsbury-reservoir-buoy.webp
banbury-grimsbury-reservoir-buoy.webp
(Click for full resolution)

A local angler also confirmed the reservoir was full and reported that the buoy had been pull up on to the grass verge for maintenance by the local sailing club who use the reservoir. 

I found this all out very quickly and it was clear there was no immediate issue with the reservoir, and this would have been apparent to anyone who was stood there. 

It’s also worth noting Banbury water doesn’t even come from this reservoir.

I wonder why the photo was taken and presented in this way?

It does seem odd and every year we seem to come closer to drought, with increasingly catastrophic  doomsday headlines, all while consumers are pressed to use less and pay more.

Perhaps there is more to this?

Here is the REAL story !

Over the years, the population of England and Wales has grown by more than 3.5 million from the census in 2011 to the one in 2021.

The last major reservoir to be constructed in the UK was Carsington in 1991, more than 30 years ago, and although a number of  reservoirs have been proposed over the years, very few were ever completed.

On top of that water companies have sold off their reservoirs and failed to keep on top of leaks. 

reservoir.webp
reservoir.webp
(Click for full resolution)

Still, we can’t blame the water companies, they have had it tough too. Thames Water’s profits fell from £488.8 million to £429.2 million in 20/21. All while failing to meet 18 of its key performance targets which include things like fixing leaks and not dumping raw sewage in to our water. 

But at least the government acted and took that back in fines?

Oh wait, no. They were only fined £34.8 million.

Along side this the Thames Water Executives and managers are all paid incredibly well. For example, Ms Sarah Bentley Thames water CEO (Chief Executive Officer) joined on a basic salary of £750,000 plus benefits and bonuses. Sarah reportedly takes home over £1.2 million a year.

Another point to note is that one of Thames Water’s larger investors is the Chinese national sovereign wealth fund. I am sure they can only have our best interests at heart, right?

Yet again, just like with the energy market, corporations who fail to deliver are raking in massive profits, being paid very handsomely, all while charging citizens ever increasing, obscene prices, and the media conveniently peddles some non-sense narrative.

Surely this is the real local news story ?!

Let’s take action!

As broken as “the system” is, it is incumbent on us to use the smoldering remains of democratic process to our advantage as best we can, as well as work locally to support the community.

Whether you are unhappy with utility bills, council tax, planning, the state of the roads or police it really doesn’t matter, if we come together we can use our influence to put pressure on various groups through various means.

Right now I ’m collecting thoughts and ideas. A long time ago I set up a Banbury page but never did anything with it. If like me you are becoming increasing frustrated / anxious with such matters, like the page so that as people, ideas and plans come together, we can try to make a difference.

government-thomas-jefferson.webp
government-thomas-jefferson.webp
(Click for full resolution)

Sources and references

Dan's Blog

Information Technology, programming, health, fitness and photography enthusiast.

  • Not a writer.
  • All views are my own.
  • Offence is optional.
  • Do your own research.

Post by tag