Drowning in a sea of shit

The last public reservoir was built in the 1970's. The sewer system is mainly Victorian. You can grow the population for so long with scant regard to basic infrastructure, but you won't get away with doing it for ever.

Actually it was late 1980s Roadford in Devon, and there is finally a new one being built near Portsmouth. The new Thames sewre is unlikely to cope within two lifetimes of it's construction. The lack of investment will come home.

Thanks for the correction.  

It isn't overpopulation, it is lack of investment in public infrastructure that is the cause. Cut taxes now mentality.

Levels of population, lack of investment, low tax mentality. All equal partners in this. Pick one or more depending on your politics, you won't be wrong. The prioritisation of welfare spending over infrastructure spending could also join this egalitarian party. 

Sure there's disagreement on priorities. That's politics. Each factor is equal to the others though in terms of the fact that turds are a common sight around our waterways.

It's a bit like the housing shortage. Is this mostly down to the failure to build enough houses, or rising levels of population? Your answer will likely depend on your politics. The correct answer is that they are both equally important. 

House building could be doubled but if the population rises faster than the number of people the increased level of house building provides for, the housing crisis will become worse. However, if house building doubles and the population is managed to rise less than the number of people the new houses provide for, the crisis will ease. 

If house building is maintained at existing levels and the population continues to rise the housing crisis will become more acute. If however house building is maintained at existing levels and the population is managed to be stable, the crisis will ease. 

So, these things can never be properly managed by viewing a reason for the problem in isolation. A solution can only come about by giving equal consideration to all factors which are effectively, interdependent.  

The companies, investment funds etc etc that took over when water was privatised have been milking the system for years, I've heard borrowing of while paying fat dividends. We shouldn't have to pay twice.