I have been reading the ongoing water debate in the Letters pages with interest.

One idea, however, has yet to be mentioned and so, at the risk of being labelled a commie or being thrown into the Tower of London, I suggest we put the water industry back into public hands.

Water is a basic human need but a private company has only one responsibility to generate profit for its shareholders. This is where the problem lies, because the interests of the general public can legally only ever be secondary.

If a water shortage is imminent, surely queuing in the blazing summer sun for a bucket of water would be more acceptable if the supply were in public hands, rather than a handful of rich individuals who are becoming even more wealthy at our expense.

You only have to observe the recent outcry in Latin America to see what other countries think of water privatisation. Many have died in the protests and will continue to do so.

The situation is not as bad here yet but surely re-nationalising our water supply is an idea worth some consideration.

-Ray Libton, Church Road, Hove