Holding in Company

United Utilities PLC
3 January 2001


Letter to Company Announcements Office

                  NOTIFICATION RECEIVED OF INTEREST IN SHARES

We have received a notification dated 2 January 2000, from the Prudential Plc
and its associated company The Prudential Assurance Company Limited that the
notifiable interest of both entities in the share capital of United Utilities
Plc has decreased to 3.06% represented by 16,867,208 shares.

United Utilities' ordinary shares trade on the London Stock Exchange and its 
ADRs, each equal to two ordinary shares, trade on the New York Stock Exchange
under the Trading Symbol 'UU'.

Letter from United Utilities Plc