The British group THAMES WATER, subsidiary of the German RWE, acquired from the Chilean State 50.9% in the second largest water distributor in the country ESSBIO - EMPRESA DE SERVICIOS SANITARIOS DES BIO-BIO SA for USD 336 million. ESSBIO, which supplies water and ensures the sewage for the city of Concepción, employs 700 people and has a annual turnover of around USD 46 million.