Soak the English: Welsh want paying for any water piped across the border
I am doing some work on innovation within the agri-food industry. I interviewed our local brewery Bateman’s – you can buy its beer from one of 8 supermarkets in the UK– “XB” is my favourite. Good Beer only has 4 ingredients the most important of which is water. Why is this relevant – only because the biggest challenge cost wise to that business, which is part of the food chain in a deep rural area, is water.
In rural England water shortages have a far deeper significant impact than the inconvenience of not being able to use a hose pipe. They affect the economic vitality of places very significantly. This article reminds us of how they can also become a political football it tells us:
Wales should make sure it receives proper payment for any water exported to ease drought-hit areas of England, Welsh politicians and economists have said.
Elfyn Llwyd, the leader of Plaid Cymru at Westminster, led calls for a “mature debate” on ensuringWales is properly paid for one of its richest natural resources. He said he did not object to water being moved fromWales to England. “I see no reason why that should not happen as we are rich in that resource inWales.”
But he added: “I think there should be adequate and reasonable recompense for that provision. I’m not talking of an Opec situation when come sudden droughts to England we get the guns out and say you’ve got to pay twice or three times more. Just a reasonable return on what is being delivered.