Wessex Water

Parent company: YTL Utilities (UK) Ltd

Regulated utility: Wessex Water LTD

One of the smallest water companies but regarded by many as the best managed. It has always had a reputation for being one of the most efficient water and sewerage operators and ranks towards the top of the OFWAT league table. The company is now focussed entirely on the water sector having divested its interest in waste management several years ago. The company is innovative technically with schemes like the world's largest membrane treatment plant at Swanage and a smaller scheme also on waste water at Porlock. Like the other water companies it is investing heavily to meet the obligations of the Urban Waste Water Directive.

Wessex Water was owned by the American energy company Enron via its subsidiary Azurix. Now the company has been sold to YTL Utilities (UK) LTD a wholly owned subsidiary of the Malaysian company YTL Power International. YTL is one of the 10 largest companies in Malaysia with interests in power generation, construction contracting, cement manufacture, property development and hotel, resorts and leisure.

The business was bought by YTL for £545 million in cash plus assumed debt of £945 million. YTL is a family owned business run by the sons of the founder. The change has bought an increased focus back on the core business and lead to more work being done in house. For example the JV with Montgomery Watson Harza has been terminated. Instead Wessex Engineering is managing the AMP3 programme in conjunction with their alliance partners,

The only non-regulated business left in the group is Wessex Utility Contracting and a sludge drying business.

Web site: www.wessexwater.co.uk