Disconnector Online

Heart-warming news that the mighty Tesco is doing its bit for the flood-stricken regions of England, where some 140,000 homes have only just had mains water restored. The water will of course not be fit to drink for some time and Tesco is mobilising its distribution network to keep residents, Severn Trent Water workers and the armed forces supplied with bottled water.
The irony of a water company being forced to rely on bottled water isn't lost on Disconnector - for many years, the water industry has promoted the benefits of drinking tap water over its bottled rival.
The fact it is Tesco riding to the rescue is a double irony - the grocery giant has been bending the ear of environment ministers to get competition moving in the water industry, something the incumbent companies remain less than enthusiastic about.

Takeovers of water companies often lead to a shake up of senior management - just ask former Thames Water chief executive Jeremy Pelczer, who was replaced just over a year into his tenure following the successful bid by Macquarie Bank-led consortium Kemble Water. It appeared to be a similar story at Sutton and East Surrey, where Nick Fisher was elevated from finance director to replace managing director Phil Holder after Deutsche Bank acquired the WOC last year. Happily we can report that Holder was in fact moved upstairs to work for the German bank on future acquisition targets - rather like Pelczer's successor at Thames, David Owens, who was put in to run Thames after devising the business plan for his then employer Macquarie. So the great man (Disconnector, not Owens) wouldn't be surprised to see Holder pop up in charge of Deutsche's next takeover target, whatever that may be. Would Holder fancy a move to Birmingham or Bradford maybe?

Bank on it: two groups from investment bank Morgan Stanley raised nearly £130,000 after completing WaterAid’s 6 Peaks Challenge – climbing six mountains in Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man in 72 hours.

White van makeover: talented Dorset pupil Daniel Pool is chuffed. And no wonder, his winning design is now emblazoned on a vehicle owned by Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water’s Aquacare business.

Pipe pose: former trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers gets down on his knees during a photoshoot in a huge new sewer scheme under construction by Northumbrian Water at Shiremoor on North Tyneside. He is the local MP. Is there no end to the main man’s thirst for publicity? Arf, arf!

Shaken but not stirred: visual evidence that Thames Water staff who took part in the company’s annual raft race entered into the spirit of the James Bond-themed event with a vengeance. WaterAid benefited. It’s intriguing that so many males enjoyed dressing up as Bond girls…