Outlook: Infrastructure investment must rise

摘要

Flooding caused by the wettest December on record left 16,000 UK homes flooded and £6bn worth of damage. The sheer scale of this has again renewed debate about whether the UK is spending enough on its flood defences and water infrastructure, writes Stuart Minchin, Matchtech divisional manager, Water & Environment. The government has defended its flood prevention measures, saying spending in England alone now stands at £2bn. Yet local authority budgets continue to be cut and pressure mounts on water firms to freeze rates and reduce unit costs.