Some say this is owing to the water companies paying out dividends rather than using the money raised by customer bills solely for investment in infrastructure

Might not be the whole story. But…

How is this Hacker News?

The causes are always the same:

• Lack of maintenance and investment
• Unsustainable farming practices
• Uncontrolled and unmetered water use by industry
• Uncontrolled pollution
• Shady business practices by private corporations
• Poor regulatory oversight

Have they checked the coast?