ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ, ðə nɔːɹθˈʌmbɹiən wˈɔːɾɚɹ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾi ˌɛndˌʌbəljˌuːˈeɪ, wˈʌn ʌv tˈɛn pˈʌblɪk sˈɛktɚ ɹˈiːdʒənəl wˈɔːɾɚɹ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ˌʌndɚ ðə wˈɔːɾɚɹ ˈækt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, wʌz fˈɔːɹmd ænd bɪkˌeɪm ɹᵻspˈɑːnsᵻbəl fɔːɹ sˈuːɚɹɪdʒ ænd sˌʌm wˈɔːɾɚ səplˈaɪ fˈʌŋkʃənz ðæt hæd pɹˈiːviəsli bˌɪn splˈɪt ɐmˌʌŋ ˌoʊvɚɹ ˈeɪɾi lˈoʊkəl ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz ænd wˈɔːɾɚɹ ˌʌndɚtˈeɪkɪŋz.
In 1974, the Northumbrian Water Authority (NWA), one of ten public sector regional water authorities created under the Water Act 1973, was formed and became responsible for sewerage and some water supply functions that had previously been split among over 80 local authorities and water undertakings.