Maryland American Water Company was founded in 1886 as the American Water Works & Guarantee Company and reorganized in 1947 as American Water Works Company. On January 10, 2003 the company was acquired by RWE, was renamed Maryland American Water Company and became a part of RWE's water division. The majority of the company's activities are centered in locally managed utility subsidiaries that are regulated by the state in which each operates. The resources of Maryland American Water Company support these state utilities. The company also owns subsidiaries that manage municipal water and wastewater systems under contract and others that supply homeowners, businesses and communities with water-resource-management products and services. The plant in Bel Air, Md., is one of several in the United States.