Keep our water out of the hands of foreign investors

The ‘Blue Gold’ of Ireland is being put up for Sale.

Ireland has some of the most abundant water resources in the world, which is something to treasure and to be proud off. Especially, considering the ever increasing ‘water stress’ around the world. With a planet full of water, currently only less than 1% of the world’s fresh water is readily accessible for human consumption. In the meantime powerful global corporations are just salivating over the fact that they can get control over a nation’s water supply and PPS numbers, the ultimate control over people.

Water is the essence of life, the foundation of life and this should be the foundation for planning, development and organization of a nation, for the Irish people by the Irish people. This should not be in the hands of a foreign private investor with the sole purpose of making profit.

We are already paying for water through taxes and now new charges are introduced which are twice the level of the average in the rest of Europe. Millions have already been spent on consultancy fees, salaries, bonuses, and installing smart meters all to set up a system to charge people not with the aim to improve the water services. As soon as we have paid for this system to be set up, then the new water company and all our personal details can be sold off to the highest bidder.

What should be done instead is to accept that we have an outdated water infrastructure and create a national plan of ‘water recovery’, to embrace the opportunity to unite the country with a plan to build the best-ever water network, as an example for the rest of the world. Yes, this would mean that there are extra costs involved, but I’m sure most people would agree to pay a basic affordable contribution as a standard service charge that goes directly into a national ‘water fund’. This fund could be used to create jobs to rebuild the water network, flood control and more.

There is a massive opportunity to create jobs and new industries related to everything water: drinking water, waste water, rain water, sea water, new techniques to use and reduce water and so on. Everything we do and have in life is related to water, we are water. Lets be innovative about water instead of giving away our rights and our opportunities for the future. Work with water not against it. Lets learn what worked and what did not work in other countries, just look up the 'Water Wars’ Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2000.

The current set up of ‘Irish Water’ has to be stopped and the whole organization of water in general has to be completely reviewed. Now is the time! What can we do?

Nick Beckman

8 Pine Court

Church Road

Cork