MIKE Bishop, the man tasked with explaining away Severn Trent's latest woes, has put on a brave face and done his best in trying to construct a silver lining for what is undoubtedly a stormy cloud. The trouble is that it just won't wash.

As a damage limitation exercise it passes muster. However, we doubt very much whether anyone will be convinced. For the facts speak far more eloquently than any spokesman's efforts - bills increased by 15.2 per cent, profits up 30 per cent to £400.4m in the year to March 31 while a staggering 542 million litres was lost every day throughout 2005/6.

We understand that this daily loss is being gradually reduced and £150m has been earmarked for a programme of mains replacement. Well it's certainly a start. But our view is that the ordinary consumer's patience has now reached breaking point. Let's do the maths - why should the customer continue to pay more and more as standards of service and efficiency continue what appears to be an unimpeded downward spiral?

This is bad enough, but then there is the constant pressure on the public to save water. Don't flush the toilet, don't run the tap while brushing your teeth... yes, it's highly commendable from an environmental viewpoint, but how does any of this square with the profligate waste of the company supplying the commodity itself?

Nothing will probably improve until Severn Trent becomes consumer rather than shareholder-driven. We are probably in for a long wait.