Mass crop failures expected in England as farmers demand hosepipe bans

The water situation in Britain is fairly easy to understand. In the 1970s we had an over-capacity of reservoirs. In the 80's Thatcher privatised the water companies. Those companies then sold off the land for housing estates that are now on flood plains and at high risk. We no longer have reservoir capacity to meet demand. Additionally we have thousands of houses that cannot be insured.

The whole shitshow is a consequence of short-term thinking and greedy profiteering. At some point we (the taxpayers) will have to buy back (compulsory purchase) the housing estates where nobody wants to live any more to turn them back into reservoirs.

It's literally an island, surrounded by water.

Why aren't water companies legally obliged to - you know - actually get water from the sea instead of the average joe being punished.