Consultant Atkins, has won a three-year contract to manage Southern Water’s assets, following eight months of negotiation and tendering.

The contract, expected to be worth £10M to £15M, will prepare Southern for the PR09 periodic review of water pricing, between 2010 and 2015.

A number of staff will transfer from Southern to Atkins, which will open two new offices, one in Brighton and one in Winchester.

Southern Water’s assets director Niall Mills said: "As a regulated business we have a duty to deliver improvements and efficiencies. Using industry leaders like Atkins will enable us to deliver these objectives,” he said.