Water is the driving force of all nature Leonardo da Vinci
At last the subject of water, or rather the lack of it has become big news. A situation in which government can hardly claim to be uninvolved.
The quality of rivers has declined since privatisation, no great recommendation for the principle that private enterprise will always excel over publicly owned utilities. Much depends on how the organisations are run and the ethos determined by the most senior management. Is the value of a water company defined by its bottom line? Surely there should be room for the value to be expressed in terms of clean water delivered to customers and the sustainability of river quality. Whilst searching for indicators of achievement by water companies perhaps we should also be taking a look at the performance of the Trust.
It has certainly been cheaper for the public purse but has it produced any other benefits? Much work has been done in opening up the canal towing paths to walkers and cyclists which has helped to spread the awareness of canals, while simultaneously there has been a reduction in the amount of historic structures, largely justified by rationalising maintenance costs.
When I became a boater it opened up a new vista of industrial archaeology; an array of premises that were once connected to the canal network for deliveries and transport of finished goods. Some of these businesses remain but many have now either ceased trading or moved to new premises, which leaves a lot of canal side space. It appears that people like to live near canals even if they are not boat owners although the reality of engine noise and smoke only becomes apparent after occupation. The nature of town canals is changing, they are no longer the centre of industry. Travelling through them by boat is no longer a trip through our manufacturing history. The scent of Birmingham was probably provided by various steel works and pickling plants. I’m sure the residents of those areas are happy but the loss of steel processing plants has given the city a new identity. They used to say if an item’s not made in Birmingham it’s not made. The bricks of those factories now form the foundations of new housing estates as the city continues to expand. The relevance of the canal is only to provide a bit of greenery, wildlife habitat and a recreational space to be enjoyed. I’m sure that the changes in city living are welcomed by many, I still pass the empty canal entrances to long forgotten businesses with a nostalgic eye.
Meteorologists predict increasing instability of the UK climate; longer hotter periods and extreme spells of wind and rain with maybe less snow and ice in the winter. The necessity for water supply and the ability to store the winter rains will become ever more important, not only for boaters. Is there a programme of activity to ensure the resistance of the canal network to climate damage or is it doomed to follow in the footsteps of redundant industry?
Editor John Sadler