Severn Trent

Infobox Company
company_name = Severn Trent plc
company_
company_type = Public (lse|SVT)
foundation = 1974
location = flagicon|UK Birmingham, England
key_people = Sir John Egan, Chairman
Tony Wray, CEO
industry = Utility
products =
revenue = £1,480 million (2007)
operating_income = £405 million (2007)
net_income = £269 million (2007)
num_employees = 12,461 (2007)
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.severntrent.com www.severn trent.com]
footnotes =

Severn Trent plc (lse|SVT) is a British public utility. It is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Severn Trent is a group of companies employing more than 15,000 people across the UK, US and mainland Europe.

The main companies in the group are Severn Trent Water, Severn Trent Laboratories and Severn Trent Services.

It is regulated under the Water Industry Act 1991.

History

The Company was established in 1974 as the "Severn Trent Water Authority", one of the ten water companies in England formed under the Water Act 1973, to supply fresh water and treat sewage for around 8 million people living in the Midlands of England and also certain regions of Wales. [http://www.severntrent.com/server.php?show=nav.22 Severn Trent History] ] It took its name from the two major rivers in this area, the Severn and the Trent. It was privatised in 1989 and in 1991 it went on to acquire Biffa, a leading waste management business.

In October 2006 Biffa was demerged from the Severn Trent group and is now listed separately on the Stock Exchange. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/apr/05/waste.water Severn Trent to split its waste and water operations] ] In January 2007 the American side of Severn Trent Laboratories was sold to HIG Capital. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2007_Jan_16/ai_n17117233 HIG Capital affiliate completes acquisition of Severn Trent Laboratories] ] In September 2007 the company announced they would be closing their headquarters in Birmingham and relocating to a custom built office complex in the centre of Coventry in 2009. [ [http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/commercial-property-birmingham/2008/03/10/severn-trent-move-good-for-company-and-coventry-65233-20600962/ Severn Trent move good for Company and Coventry] ]

Utilities acquired

The company took over the following public sector water supply utilities: [The Severn-Trent Water Authority Constitution Order 1973 (S.I. 1973 No.1437)]
*Birmingham Corporation
*Coventry Corporation
*Leicester Corporation
*Nottingham Corporation
*Stafford Corporation
*Wolverhampton Corporation
*Cannock Rural District Council
*Central Nottinghamshire Water Board
*Derwent Valley Water Board
*East Shropshire Water Board
*Montgomeryshire Water Board
*North Derbyshire Water Board
*North East Warwickshire Water Board
*North West Gloucestershire Water Board
*North West Leicestershire Water Board
*North West Worcestershire Water Board
*Rugby Joint Water Board
*South Derbyshire Water Board
*South Warwickshire Water Board
*South West Worcestershire Water Board
*Staffordshire Potteries Water Board
*West Shropshire Water Board

It did not take over the following water supply companies, but became the sewerage authority for the companies' areas. The companies continued to supply water as before:
*East Worcestershire Waterworks Company
*South Staffordshire Waterworks Company

It also took over two river authorities, responsible for control of water pollution:
*Trent River Authority
*Severn Trent Authority

Operations

The company supplies about 3.7m households and businesses in its area. [ [http://www.severntrent.com/server.php?show=nav.19 Severn Trent About us] ]

Like other water companies in England, Severn Trent Water is regulated by OFWAT, the Water Services Regulation Authority.

In July 2008, Ofwat confirmed that it had fined Severn Trent Water £35.8 million for deliberately providing false information to Ofwat and for delivering poor service to its customers. [ [http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/prs_pn2108_svtfne020708 Ofwat confirms Severn Trent Water fine, 2 July 2008, PN 21/08, Ofwat] ]

In 2008 the Company was fined £2m (reduced from a previous judgement of £4m) for poor information reporting and covering up misleading leakage data. [ [http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing-and-markets/article.html?in_article_id=444663&in_page_id=3 Just £2m fine for Severn Trent over water leaks] ]

Reservoirs

The company operates a number of reservoirs, many of which are accessible for recreational use. These include:
*Carsington Reservoir - River Derwent compensation flow pumped storage facility (collapsed during construction)
*Clywedog reservoir
*Draycote Water
*Foremark Reservoir
*Upper Derwent Valley (Derwent, Howden and Ladybower Reservoirs) - Built by "Derwent Valley Water Board" to supply the cities of Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, and Leicester.
*Lake Vyrnwy
*Tittesworth reservoir
*Ogston Reservoir - in the Amber Valley

ee also

Biffa plc (formerly a subsidiary of Severn Trent which was demerged)

References

External links

* [http://www.stwater.co.uk Severn Trent Water Homepage]
* [http://www.severn-trent.com/ Severn Trent PLC]
* [http://www.stl-ltd.com Severn Trent Laboratories]
* [http://www.water-guide.org.uk/severn-trent-water.html Severn Trent Company Information]