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Business News 2003

December, 2003

Philadelphia Suburban Corp.'s subsidiary, Consumers Illinois Water Co., buys two small Illinois water systems. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/30/03

Standard & Poors cuts N.Y. Water Service rating to BB from BBB. Cites losses at parent Utilities & Industries Management Corp.  Reuters/Forbes 12/29/03

Former French water company-turned-music and phone company Vivendi settles with Securities and Exchange Commission. More suits and legal actions pending. Reuters 12/24/03
Standard and Poors reports on U.S. utilities, including water. Stable ratings for standard, undiversified utilities. But diversified utilities face more rating deterioration. Reuters 12/24/03
Southwest Water Co. forecasts increased revenue and profits in 2004. Company provides water services to 2 million in 35 states. Business Wire 12/24/03

French utilities group Veolia Environnement signs 50-year contract worth 8.5 billion euros to manage water services in Shenzhen, China. Company has at least six other major Chinese drinking and wastewater contracts. Reuters 12/22/03

Standard and Poors revises California Water Service outlook. Blames California Public Utilities Commission for not grating rate increases fast enough.  Reuters/Forbes 12/16/03

Fitch rates Utah's Mountain Regional Special Service Water District $33 million bonds 'BBB.'  Business Wire 12/16/03

Panel approves Snapple as sole water and other beverage vendor for New York City schools. Fair bidding issues cloud decision.  Reuters 12/10/03

Underground Solutions Inc. invited to discuss its company today at the New York Society of Security Analysts 7th annual Investing in the Water Industry Conference.  Press Release 12/8/03

Coke vs. Nestle in Paris. Coca-Cola to enter the French bottled water market this spring with its Dasani brand. Nestle, with Perrier and a host of other brands, is the big competitor.  AFP/Expatica 12/4/03

Moody's downgrades Atlanta's water and sewer bonds to Baa1 from A2. Outlook negative. Actions affect $1.72 billion in Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds. Atlanta Business Chronicle 12/3/03

November, 2003

Feature: Making

rating outlook of Southern California Water Co. and its parent American States Water Co. to negative from stable.  Reuters 11/26/03

Moody's drops rating of SUEZ subsidiary United Waterworks Inc. from stable to negative.  Reuters 11/26/03

Missouri PUC approves sale of Warren County Water to Missouri-American Water Co.  St. Louis Business Journal 11/24/03

ALLETE to sell North Carolina water utility to Philadelphia Suburban Corp.  Business Wire 11/21/03

Italy's Edison to sell its British water unit, International Water Holding.  Reuters 11/19/03

San Diego State University licenses its perchlorate treatment technology to Pure-O-Tech, Inc. Agreement calls for profit sharing.  PR News 11/18/03

Groupe Danone and Suntory finalize a joint venture to create the nation's largest home-and-office water delivery company.  Atlanta Journal-Constitution 11/12/03

Suez and partner lose bid to cancel Philippines water contract. Companies supply drinking water to about half of Manila.  AFP/International Herald Tribune 11/10/03

PureCycle Corp. signs $50 million water service contract for new Colorado housing tract south of Denver's airport.  Business Wire 11/4/03

October, 2003

Allete's Florida Water closes $36 million Hernando County sale.  Tampa Bay Business Journal 10/31/03

Allete's Florida Water Services closes $83 million Palm Coast sale.  Orlando Business Journal 10/30/03

New York mayor plans to raise $100 million by selling investment rights in the city's 6,600 miles of aging water pipes.  NY Newsday 10/29/03

Standard & Poors to lower rating of National Waterworks. The water and wastewater industry supplier is increasing its debt load.  Reuters 10/29/03

California-centered American States Water Company announces $0.221 per share quarterly dividend.  Business Wire 10/28/03

Pennsylvania American Water acquires Butler County, Pennsylvania water system for $1.2 million.  PR News 10/23/03

California Water Service Group announces 12% increase in third quarter 2003 net income. Board declares 236th consecutive quarterly dividend.  Business Wire 10/22/03

American Water elects three independent board members.  Business Wire 10/22/03

Britain's Anglian Water sells stake in Chile's second largest drinking water company for $82 million to Chilean group Consorcio Financiero. 

 Reuters/Forbes 10/17/03

Allete's Florida Water Services sells Duval County, Florida system for $25 million.  Business Wire 10/15/03

Marco Island commissioners officially approve purchase of area Florida Water Services utility for $85.3 million. Closes Nov. 6.  Marco Eagle 10/15/03

The challenge is to make cheap water: Hyflux CEO. Company signs agreement with university for membrane research.  Business Times 10/15/03

American Water Services receives 50-year, $179 million U.S. Army contract to own and operate Ft. Sill, Oklahoma water services. American is subsidiary of German utility RWE AG.  Philadelphia Business Journal 10/14/03

American Services to replace US Filter as operator of Sioux City, Iowa's wastewater treatment plant.  Sioux City Journal 10/14/03

Southern California's Metropolitan Water District enters water agreements with regional boards.  Business Wire/Yahoo 10/14/03

Tiny Weeki Wachee delays Florida Water Services utility sale. Negotiations underway.  Hernando Today 10/14/03

North Carolina's North Brunswick water authority considers filing for bankruptcy. Agency is $4 million in debt and under pressure from the state to get its finances in order.  Sun News 10/10/03

Chesapeake Utilities Corp. sells another of its water services companies: EcoWater Systems of Michigan, Inc. (dba Douglas Water Conditioning).  Business Wire 10/10/03

Connecticut Water Service, Inc. subsidiary will borrow $23 million from bond sale by Connecticut Development Authority.  Business Wire 10/10/03

South Beloit Water, Gas and Electric Co. asks Illinois Commerce Commission for first water rate increase in nearly 20 years.  Business Wire 10/10/03

Jackson, Mississippi water treatment plant $15 million upgrade. Will use ZENON's membrane system to solve manganese problem. 10/10/03

Philadelphia Suburban Corp. will wait until January to change its name to Aqua America Inc. Delay gives the water and sewer company more time to reach an agreement with American Water Works Co. which is concerned about customer confusion.  Reuters 10/9/03

R2 Controls, Inc. delivers custom microcontroller systems to New Mexico manufacturer of powerful wireless technology for water monitoring. Business Wire 10/8/03

Glacier Water Services Inc. buys mid-west water vending machine compay Water Island.  Business Wire 10/7/03

Champions of local purchase of Florida Water Services' Spring Hill utility are buying into unknown costs. Analysis of what the purchase could cost local government.  St. Petersburg Times

Australian bank Macquarie buys UK's South East Water from French conglomerate Bouyges.  Telegraph  

Dow chosen as a key supplier for world's largest desalination project. Other participants in Israeli project are Vivendi Group and IDE Technologies Ltd.  Chemie.De News

September, 2003

Honeywell, Itron and Badger to equip Akron, Ohio, with advanced wireless water meter technology.  Business Wire

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation sells its Idaho water treatment and conditioning dealership, Intermountain Water.  PR News Wire

Wisconsin Power and Light Co. and city of Ripon, Wisconsin, can't agree on water utility sale. Utility will look for other buyer.  PR Newswire

Silver Lake Research says it has developed a quick field test for contaminated water.  PR Newswire

WorldWater Inc. inaugurates world's first solar-powered municipal water system in Cebu, Philippines.  Business Wire

Veolia to sell a significant portion of its U.S. water business.  Reuters

Leesburg, Florida officials told to act quickly if they want to buy six water systems from Florida Water Systems Corp.  The Daily Commercial

Trojan Technologies Inc. has won a $700,000 contract to supply advanced ultraviolet drinking water disinfection equipment to Canada's Niagara Region.  Canada.com  

Merrill Lynch analysts give UK's Northumbrian Water a "sell" rating. Outlook unstable. Costs going up while rates flat.  New Ratings

Fast growth prompts Kissimmee and Osceola County Florida to create a joint water board.  Orlando Business Journal

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. announces dividend reinvestment, direct share purchase, and direct dividend deposit plans. Firm develops sea water conversion plants and water distribution systems.  PR Newswire/Yahoo

Standard & Poors gives Connecticut Water Service Inc. its 'A' rating. Outlook stable.  Reuters

Whatman Inc. announces ground water filter solution meets strict government standards for sample collection.  Business Wire/Yahoo

Barnstable, Mass. town council to discuss buying Barnstable Water Co. Meeting set for Oct. 2 executive session.  Barnstable Patriot

Northumbrian Water Group is set to return for a full listing on the London stock exchange after an absence of eight years. The French utilities group Suez sold the company in May.  Financial Times

Hawaiian Natural Water Company, Inc., names Willard Irwin as president. Jack Stern to become chair of the board. Hawaiian is a subsidiary of AMCON Distributing Company.  Business Wire

At least four bidders are lining up for the UK's South East Water. The British regional water utility is being sold by French conglomerate Bouygues.  Reuters

Swiss bank UBS AG considers joining the bidding for South East Water. The British regional water utility is owned by French conglomerate Bouygues.  Reuters

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is set to make a cash offer of around 350 million pounds ($557.7 million) for the England-based utility South East Water, according to the London Times.  Reuters/London Times

Field tested in Afghanistan: Marines order 1,000 Mountain Safety Research portable water purifiers. It's about the size of a magic marker.  Business Wire

JEA board approves $25 million purchase Florida Water Service's Arlington-area business.  Jacksonville Business Journal

French stock regulator wraps up probe of water utility-turned-media giant Vivendi. Results not immediately known. Other probes continue.  AP/San Francisco Chronicle

Picken's Mesa Water buys water rights in Texas Panhandle county from Amarillo-based Quixx Corp.  Dallas Business Journal

Allete Inc.'s Florida Water Services subsidiary in Marion County sold for $22 million.  Business Wire

Firms find big money separating Kansas City area sewage from storm water.  Kansas City Business Journal

Dave Fisk named assistant executive director of Florida's St. John's River Water Management District. Orlando Business Journal

California tribe ups water sales. Big Bear Mountain Premium Spring Water will increase the speed of its bottling line by 70 percent to accommodate its recent expansion into Mexico.  Knight Ridder/Billings Gazette

City of nine residents holds up Hernando County part of Florida Water Services sale. St. Petersburg Times

Kentucky town may sell water system. Steep rate increase prompts talks. The Cincinnati Enquirer

Poland Spring Water: How the law suits began and new TV ads. Portland Press Herald

French food group Danone names former Coke exec. William Holl chief of the new U.S. home-delivery drinking water firm.  It's a joint venture with Japan's Suntory Ltd. Reuters

Three Alabama communities hire USFilter for water and wastewater services. Business Wire/Yahoo

Ozolutions financing for U.S. water treatment acquisitions. Company distributes home drinking water systems and other products. Business Wire/Yahoo

Deloitte and Telispark sign contract with Western Australia's Water Corporation to deliver Mobile Computing Field Service Solution. Business Wire/Yahoo
Allete Inc. sells its Florida Water Services subsidiary in Hillsborough County, to the county for $15 million. Business Wire/Yahoo
Pall Corp. PLL.N , a maker of  filtration and purification systems, reports profit rose for its fiscal fourth quarter from a weak dollar  and improved results at most of its divisions. Reuters

Suez to sell Illinois-based water-treatment unit to a consortium of U.S. funds for $4.5 billion. AP/Dow Jones
Phoenix firm designs safety grid to secure drinking water. Now it needs water districts willing to test it. Phoenix Business Journal
National Water & Power names Jeff Wright vice president of the utility billing and collection company’s western sales region. Business Wire/Yahoo

English firm wins $2.2 billion contract to update Scottish water and sewer system. Reuters

August, 2003

Southwest Water Co. declares $.058 per share cash dividend. Company operates in 31 states. Business Wire/Yahoo

In blackouts or on the battlefield, portable water purifier comes in handy. Forbes

South Beloit Water, Gas and Electric Co. files rate change in anticipation of sale. Company is subsidiary of Wisconsin Power and Light, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corp. PRNewsWire
Water rights are hot Australian investment. Driest continent after Antarctica is second highest in water use. Bloomberg
Duluth based Allete, parent corporation of Minnesota Power, is close to leaving the water business. Buyers are lined up for Allete's subsidiary, Florida Water Services Corporation. Budgeteer News

Manila Water Co., owned by Philippine conglomerate Ayala Group, doubles its capital in preparation for a planned initial public offer and to buy out a minority shareholder. Dow Jones/Yahoo

Privatization of Middle East water focus of international conference. Gulf Daily News

Chenega Technical Products L.L.C., Panama City, Fla. has been awarded a $1.5 million delivery order as part of a $33 million US Army contract for a unit water pod system. Work should be finished by August, 2008. 4th item.     

Muncie, Ind. reservoir not for sale, says Indiana-American Water Co. Star Press  

Oregon water district aims to promote corporate ethics. Suppliers need to show worker safety records. Oregonian  

Allegheny Energy Inc. seeks lender approval to sell its energy supply contract with the California Dept. of Water Resources. Hagerstown, Md. Herald-Mail

A $52 billion Chinese water diversion project could be boon for US businesses. Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio-based suppliers on Chinese officials' two-week shoping visit. Milwaukee Business Journal

Xcel Energy to store water in natural gas cavern. Technique saves $millions on new reservoir costs. Some Arveda, Colorado residents worry about residual gas. AP/Denver's ABC-7

Myrtle Beach to transfer water and sewage treatment facilities to Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority in Conway, South Carolina. Myrtle Beach Sun

The Florida Governmental Utility Authority's board of directors unanimously agreed to purchase Citrus County's Florida Water Services systems for $16 million. St. Petersburg Times

Earlier: Florida Water Services sells Deltona system for $59.5 million. Orlando Business Journal

Related item: Marco Island, Fla. to buy city water utility from Florida Water for $83.5 million. Naples Daily News

Trojan Technologies Inc. quarterly profits dip. Canadian water purifying company cites management costs. Canadian Press

Southwest Water Company posts 2nd quarter increase.

Serves cities in 31 states.

Water Meters in Apartments? Florida PUC considers it. Orlando Sentinel

money like water. In Australia, Coca-Cola re-invented itself from a soft-drink company to a non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink company: water, soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks and teas.  The Australian 11/29/03

Middlesex Water Co. to offer 700,000 common shares.  Reuters 11/26/03

Moody's changes

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