United Utilities to pay out almost £181m in dividends to investors
(WorldNews Business)

The water company United Utilities is to pay out nearly £181m in dividends just two days before it implements a hosepipe ban across the north-west of England. The payout on 3 August will be the single biggest in a decade by the company and will mean shareholders have received close to £271m for the last financial year, 2.2% more than for the previous 12 months. The FTSE 100-listed company is under fire as it prepares to limit water usage for 7m homes and seeks a permit to draw water from Ullswater and Windermere in the lake district. The company cited `exceptional shortage of rainfall` and a surge in usage...