Monday, 16 September 2013

Nest Estate Water Nightmare continues

Tenants and residents on the Nest Estate, Mytholmroyd are currently being dogged by a burst to the water main on a near weekly basis.

The estate, which is part owner occupied and part Pennine housing, has an asbestos pipe that was laid in the 1950s which, bizarrely Yorkshire water consider to be a 'private' main. The pipe is now unfit for purpose and whilst proposals are in the pipeline ( sorry!) for a new main to be installed under the highway the who pays remains a sticking point. Pennine Housing as a good will gesture have put up £3,000,000 to pay for the main and a guestimate of £3,000 is being charged to each owner occupier for the new hook up.

The problem?

Yorkshire Water, who made £186m profit, paid £286m to its shareholders, received £62.2M tax rebate and raised water bills in the region on average by 6.6% and who have received circa £20,000 from the estate in water rates since its inception pays zero. Unless monies can found from elsewhere residents will pay £3,000 for the hook up, in addition to their water rates as well as their council tax. Pennine Housing tenants pay indirectly via their rent, their council tax and their water rates.

It would appear that a basic human need, water is being used as a commodity and the estate as collateral damage on the path of Yorkshire water to making obscene profits.

What is also wrong about this is whilst tenants and residents of the estate, are expected to throw themselves at the mercy of free market capitalism Yorkshire Water hold a monopoly on the supply. They have stipulated that there has to be a 100% take up otherwise the project will be dropped. With all other utilities we have a choice of supplier, but not this one. The question has been asked why it is the estate could not charge Yorkshire water for putting 'its' water through 'our' pipe in the way that Network Rail charges the train operating companies for using the tracks, only to be told it is not possible!!

According to Pennine Housing, tenants and residents will be invited to a public meeting at the end of October to discuss the plans!