ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt, lˌaɪənˈeɪz ɐkwˈaɪɚd tˈuː fˈɜːðɚɹ ˌɛsdˌʌbəljˌuːsˈiːz, ˈɛsɪks wˈɔːɾɚ kˈʌmpəni ænd sˈʌfək wˈɔːɾɚ kˈʌmpəni fˈɔːɹmɚli ˈiːst ˈæŋɡliən wˈɔːɾɚ kˈʌmpəni ænd, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, mˈɜːdʒd ðˌɛm tə fˈɔːɹm ˈɛsɪks ænd sˈʌfək wˈɔːɾɚ.
In 1988, Lyonnaise acquired two further SWCs, Essex Water Company and Suffolk Water Company (formerly East Anglian Water Company) and, in 1994, merged them to form Essex & Suffolk Water.