Wessex Water

Parent company:         YTL Utilities (UK) Ltd

Regulated utility:         Wessex Water Ltd

Ownership:                   YTL Malaysian construction company

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 consistently at the top of the OFWAT league table. The company is now focused entirely on the water sector having divested its interest in waste management some years ago.

The company is innovative technically and aims to stay one step ahead of other water utilities. It operates the UK's largest membrane treatment plant at Swanage. At Avonmouth it has transformed its sludge treatment plant into a separate business GENeco which now generates about 35GWhr of renewable electricity and imports waste to its anaerobic digestion plant. In AMP5 (2010-2015) Wessex are investing £1.02 billion. The biggest scheme is a major new integrated water grid designed to improve security supply and costing £289m. There is also a £26m upgrade of Weston-super-Mare STW planned.

Wessex Water is owned by YTL the Malaysian power and construction company. 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 led to more work being done in house. YTL have proved consistent owners providing stability and certainty and giving Wessex freedom to concentrate on their core activity. Wessex Water have a strong focus on sustainability (Jonathon Porritt is a non Exec. Director) and a distinct preference for working with smaller regional businesses.