Ex-water chief wants Wales to profit from sale to England

A former head of Welsh Water has claimed Wales should profit from transferring water to England.

John Elfed Jones, former chairman and chief executive of the company, has argued water is a business and, like oil, it should be sold to make money.

His comments came as Severn Trent, which supplies Mid Wales and parts of Shropshire, announced plans to sell water to Anglian Water.

Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru argue that powers over Wales' natural resources should be devolved to politicians in Cardiff Bay.

Speaking to Welsh language programme Taro Naw, which will be broadcast on S4C tonight, Mr Jones said: "Is it fair Wales isn't profiting a penny from the water which is exported to England?

"It's about time we took this option seriously. It's a lack of energy and vision which leads us to be in difficulties often."

A current hosepipe ban affects 20 million people in England who get their water from seven companies. They are Thames Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Anglian Water, Sutton and East Surrey, Veolia Central and Veolia South East.

The ban has sparked debate over whether transferring water from regions, such as upland areas of Wales, should be carried out.

Severn Trent has since announced plans were being drawn up to supply more than 100,000 homes in the Anglian Water area.

Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire MP, said he was still trying to grasp the concept of selling water between regions of the UK.

"We have already seen comments about selling 'Welsh' water to England – but what we seem to be talking about today is selling at no profit 'Birmingham' water to the south east.

"If the principle were extended, I suppose Dwr Cymru could sell 'Welsh' water to Montgomeryshire, which is in the Severn Trent catchment area, or vice-versa. All sounds a bit impractical to me."

By Andrew Morris