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At the beginning of the 19th century, most water works in the UK were built, owned, and operated by private companies. The introduction of various parliamentary regulations led to the government assuming control of the industry, with the responsibility for most (but not all) water works and sewerage systems being passed to local government by the beginning of the 20th century.
In England and Wales, the emergence of the first private water companies dates back to the 17th century. In 1820, six private water companies operated in London. However, the market share of private water companies in London declined from 40% in 1860 to 10% in 1900. In the 1980s, their share all over England and Wales was about 25%. [13]
However, there were problems with privatization at this time. Water provisions were focused more towards wealthier communities and the poorer areas were sometimes ignored. Additionally, the private companies tended to focus more on profit maximization than on the quality and quantity of service provided because water is a natural monopoly ...
The private statutory water companies, which provided water to 25% of the population, escaped reorganisation and were left to operate as before. [ 5 ] With the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979 the water and sanitation sector initially remained public, but the government attempted to make the enterprises operate more along commercial lines.
Passenger transport executive bus companies (1988–1994, bus companies sold individually) Rolls-Royce (1987) Royal Ordnance (1987) Sealink (1984) Short Brothers (1989) Travellers Fare (1988) Trustee Savings Bank (1985) Vale of Rheidol Railway (1989) Water companies – see main article Water privatisation in England and Wales. Anglian Water (1989)
Each company board is typically accountable to shareholders, mostly asset managers, under the Companies Act 2006. While both UK and EU law is clear that water companies, even if privatised, still are public bodies, [22] these companies pursue shareholder profit, only restricted by regulation.
Pixabay/Public domain. 10. Ozarka. Ozarka is a private company operating mainly in the United States. It sells its water mostly in the South Central of the United States, including Arkansas, Texas ...
The New River Company became one of the largest private water companies of the time, supplying the City of London and other central areas. [109] The first civic system of piped water in England was established in Derby in 1692, using wooden pipes, [110] which was common for several centuries. [111]