Vandals have opened valves on bowsers in County Tyrone and emptied out nearly 5,000 gallons (22,730 litres) of water.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12102570

If that wasn't kids, it's a special kind of [LIFTED]

Honestly, we're breeding a race of cretins. I guarantee they didn't even think what they were doing might affect them and their families. They just did it because it "was a bit of a laugh" and they were "bored".

I despair for humanity sometimes.

Because if it was kids then that's alright, right?
Well, actually, no.
When you consider what's been happening now for the better part of two weeks, it doesn't matter who did this, it's still a despicable act.
I've been without water for almost a week, and now because of this stupidity, more homes are going to be without water, possibly for longer.
Whoever did this are just scumbags, and drowning is too good for them.

Mark

Kids are nightmares the world over, but most of us grew/grow out of it

I have to agree that it is senseless but it might not be kids. It would have benefits for some groups if this were blamed on kids. It will be handy for the water company if they can use this to impose higher charges and water meters. It was very stupid whoever did it.

We currently don't pay charges for water over here. NI Water is a private company.
Cue comments that if we paid water rates this wouldn't have happened, then me retorting that if we paid water rates the bosses would have bigger bonuses and this would still have happened.
Jus' sayin'.

Mark

I must be missing something crucial. If NI water is a private firm, but you don't pay rates, then how do they make money??

Well water rates are irrelevant. As you say in this case they would get their money from the government regardless. The lack of investment is down to policy. Though even if it were privatised it would end up cost the end user a lot more because of profits and bonuses. There is nothing inherently more efficient about a private company other than they have bonuses to motivate them. A well run state organisation can be as well run as any other private organisation. So whether it is collected via tax and/or private water rates you would end up paying more. It is a form stealth tax. The government simply rename to and get private companies to collect it instead.

We pay rates, we don't pay specifically for water - yet.

Mark

The IRA strikes again.

Exactly, and guess what our Sec. of State was trying to suggest?

Best of it is SF are the one party that has the balls to come out and say it's a nonsense, with McGuinness saying if the well-heeled economists, bloggers and industry backers wanna contribute, he'll happily take their money off them

EDIT: LU, you should see our Sunday papers, that'll probably get suggested! Christ, it could even be true

Plus it would be a terrible waste of water.

It isn't. It's funding is provided out of taxation. Bizarrely, it handed back something like £30m of it's infrastructure budget this year as it hadn't managed to spend it. That would be the money it was given to repair/replace old pipeworks to make sure they didn't leak and the like....

Someone posted that drowning was too good for them; I'd say it would be a very appropriate punishment. If capital punishment is possibly a bit draconian, then how about a bit of waterboarding?

Drown them in an empty reservoir?

If you drop someone into an empty reservoir from high enough up they'll still splash a bit on impact.