According to Paul Kaufman, leader of Boycott Thames Water, if people get angry enough about the way the water companies are running things, it might make the government do something about it.

On July 22, 2024, Kaufman spoke of how angry people are over the water sector. He perceives that this anger could achieve what the poll tax opposition did, in the same way as this public outcry ended the poll tax, another form of unfair tax. His group, Boycott Thames Water, wants to challenge the notion that taking control of water back from private companies would be too expensive.

Everyone will be made to pay extra money on their water bills to cover those mistakes, according to a new plan by Ofwat, which oversees companies that supply water. This would mean that an extra huge charge would have to be paid by everybody, irrespective of how much money their money is. It would basically amount to a new poll tax. Kaufman believes that the government needs to step in and stop this from continuing. There are far too many suffering, who can ill afford to have something as basic as water in the hands of some private greedy company.

Water ratepayers sympathetic to Boycott Thames Water have been refusing to pay part of their water bills, specifically the part that includes wastewater. Some have been refusing for months, even years. The water companies cannot cut off their water supply because as long as there is a dispute, the companies cannot take action to collect the unpaid bills. Many people have reasons for this protest, like improper handling of wastewater or being charged for interest on the companies’ loans.

He pointed out that a poll tax and the privatization of water were both introduced almost at the same moment, hardly a mere coincidence. He hopes that if people take the strong actions entailed in canceling their direct debits, a future Labour government might decide to bring water back into public hands, where it would be managed fairly and with respect for the environment.

As the next cycle of water bills comes around in October, Kaufman is encouraging those who are dissatisfied with their water companies to just stop direct debit payments for water bills as the next step of the protest.

A Closer Look at the Problem

Kaufman’s group, Boycott Thames Water, has worked hard to let people know about problems with private water companies. They believe water should be managed by the public and not private companies. This, they feel, would make everything much more just and better for the environment.

Kaufman is concerned by a new Ofwat plan that would see everyone paying more on their water bills to fix the mistakes made by private water companies. This surplus charge is precisely unjust, as it has to be paid by one and all, irrespective of the money one has. It’s like a new version of the poll tax, which was very unpopular and unfair.

People who subscribe to the Boycott Thames Water have been protesting by not paying the part of their water bill that covers wastewater. They have done so for such a long time that the water companies cannot cut off their water supply due to this dispute. The reasons attributed to this protest are poor handling of wastewater and being charged for companies’ loan interest.

He believes the government needs to listen to the people and act. Kaufman hopes that any future Labour government will make a decision to bring water back into public ownership, which means management of the water by the public and for the public while taking care of the environment.

Kaufman suggests that, as the October billing cycle approaches, people cancel their direct debits to really make a difference in showing the government and water companies just how serious the public is behind change.