The Company's origins lie in Harwich where the lack of drinking water had long been a cause of complaint among residents, the Navy and the merchant seamen who used the port. A nineteenth century survey described the water supply as follows:

"The water supply of Harwich is derived entirely from rainwater stored in tanks and from surface wells. The water from these wells is so brackish that it is not used for drinking or cooking, but only for washing and cleaning. The tank water gathered from the roofs of the houses looks and tastes smokey, if not filtered. A dense smutty deposit forms at the bottom of the tanks".