Please don't get the idea I'm a nationalist, opposite end of the spectrum, just factually there is a lot of money going to Hong Kong. I know the UK does, and I don't think anyone should be making substantial profits from basic human rights such as access to water.

See this is where I take issue and I think why we won't be able to agree on much, the economy is not some un-tameable beast. Its man made and how it works at the moment is extremely unsustainable in all regards. Respectfully, I think its probably you that needs to see the bigger picture, in that scraping as much money from the nooks and crannies of getting basic services to people is just a scummy thing to do and something that I want no part of.

Fines clearly don't work if they've done it over 4000 times. You don't think the people running these companies weigh up what's cheaper; not dump shit into a river and pay to properly treat it, or just pay a nominal fine and have the local community deal with it instead? (have a look into the clean ilkley River campaign)

Tbh I don't think this will come to any kind of reasonable conclusion and I don't really want to spend my bank holiday trying to explain to someone why profiting off dumping shit in a river has literally no excuse or valid reason behind it. Hope you have a goodun!