Northumbrian Water Group has made a significant investment in its IT infrastructure with the support of commercial law firm Watson Burton.

Newcastle-headquartered Watson Burton advised the water company on a £3.5 million plus contract with IBM United Kingdom Ltd for the provision of system integration and hosting services for 24 months.

Northumbrian Water Group is investing heavily in its customer services provision – which has included developing its IT systems. Watson Burton supported the company in reviewing the contract with IBM United Kingdom Ltd, offering a rapid turnaround time which helped to take the agreement forward to a successful conclusion for both parties.

Watson Burton, which also has offices in Leeds and London, has advised the utilities provider on its IT contracts for many years. The law firm has built up a significant presence in the technology sector, with the firm advising on major investments involving a wide range of technology focused businesses, from start-ups to multinationals, and supporting firms with complex, high value IT contracts, policies and cyber security issues.

Andriy Volkov, category manager – development at Northumbrian Water Group, said:

“It was crucial that this contract met all of the needs of Northumbrian Water Group, in line with our goal of becoming the industry leader in the provision of water and wastewater services. The contract required specifically negotiated and mutually agreed terms - especially given the significance of the agreement and its long term impact on our asset management operations. The team at Watson Burton helped us to achieve this.”