Thirty-five years ago, investors flocked to buy into the water industry, an essential public utility and a monopoly, in a sell-off by Margaret Thatcher which was deeply unpopular with the public, but saw shareholders gain 40%, on average, on the first day of trading.
Despite the £56bn paid out in dividends to shareholders in the sector since privatisation, today investors in the biggest beast, Thames Water, appear to be running for the hills.
