On reading Adam Trimingham's account of the water shortage (The Argus, January 25), I got the impression he would rather not blame anyone in particular for the shortage, wastage or failure to supply.

And in his final paragraph, he wrote: "But unless action is taken by the authorities and all of us, we shall be stranded like Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, with, water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink."

It appears Adam would rather be "sitting on the fence" where he can't upset anyone. What he should be saying is: "Why is there water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink?"

Why, when there is sufficient water in lakes, lochs, rivers and reservoirs throughout the British Isles, enough to supply everyone all year round, do our private enterprise water companies want to create a shortage? Because they want us all to have a meter.

They could, if the Government insisted, create a national grid system, as with gas and electricity, but they would rather we all had a meter.

And why do they want us all to have a meter? Because meters bring far greater profits.

-Bob Luckhurst, Lancing