The buck stops where?

[sandyRoe]

The chief executive of NI water looks set for the chop after the freeze and thaw left thousands of householders without piped water for up to 2 weeks. The company wasn't given enough money to replace ancient infrastructure so he was working with one hand tied behind his back.
Should the government minister responsible 'consider his position', or isn't that done anymore?

[rov1200]

Here in England householders have seen their water bills shoot up from just a few pounds to hundreds of pounds over a very short period. In NI there is no charge on the consumer who believe water comes free.

They have now learnt the lesson of economics.

[Gromit]

NI Water Ltd is a State owned private company with a monopoly of supply. Before privatisation, Northern Irelanders paid for their water through their local rates, and privatisation was seen as a way to separate the function and build revenued (by charging for water directly) with a view to updating the antiqated system. It became a political issue at the local elections, and Northern Irelanders voted in parties opposed to the charges. The investment in new infrastructure never took place on the scale needed, and the result is the system failing. The Buck stopped at the ballot box.

Does not explain the under investment and failing water supplies in England and Wales though.

[Gromit]

http://www.telegraph....r-on-water-rates.html

[ummmm]

They don't pay for water in SI either....

[Whickerman]

...yet, it's coming.

As to the situation in NI - even if they had voted in parties to put in the charges, there's no way that the infrastructure would be repaired by now.