ðə kˈʌmpəni ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd æz ðə wˈɛsɪks wˈɔːɾɚɹ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾi, wˈʌn ʌv tˈɛn ɹˈiːdʒənəl wˈɔːɾɚɹ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz ɪstˈæblɪʃt baɪ ðə wˈɔːɾɚɹ ˈækt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː wˌɪtʃ wɜː pɹˈaɪvətˌaɪzd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn.
The company originated as the Wessex Water Authority, one of ten regional water authorities established by the Water Act 1973 which were privatised in 1989.