Scottish Water has awarded two major strategic contracts to BT Business and Accenture – BT Business has been awarded the contract for Networks and Security Services and Accenture has been appointed to deliver Applications Management Services.
Photo l to r: Scottish Water's Director of Digital & Innovation Chris Toop,
Gordon McKirdy, Utilities Lead for Accenture UK & Ireland, and Ishbell MacPhail, Head of BT Business, Scotland
The BT networks and security contract is worth up to £130 million and the Accenture applications management contract is worth up to £100 million, pending due diligence.
The new contracts will start on 1st September - initial terms are for four years, with possible extensions of up to a maximum of eight years.
The appointments represent the next stage in Scottish Water’s digital strategy, building on the progress already made to strengthen digital capabilities, improve operational performance and create a more agile, secure and resilient technology environment.
BT will provide Scottish Water’s Networks and Security Services, delivering resilient connectivity and enhanced cyber-security capabilities to support critical business operations and protect essential infrastructure. The partnership will help ensure secure, reliable and future-ready digital services across the organisation.
The multi-million pound agreement with BT forms part of a wider £130 million Scottish Water investment programme in networks and security services. It will see BT take end-to-end responsibility for Scottish Water’s extensive connectivity and security estate, spanning both IT and operational technology environments. This includes managing approximately 7,000 network connections across broadband, MPLS, satellite and internet services, alongside a large-scale operational technology network critical to delivering essential water services across Scotland.
BT’s solution centres on a converged Network Operations Centre (NOC) and Security Operations Centre (SOC), bringing network monitoring and cyber security together into a single, real-time operational model – supporting Scottish Water’s long-term digital ambitions.
A key element of BT’s successful bid was its strong local presence in Scotland, combined with its ability to deliver at national scale. BT will provide a locally based team working closely with Scottish Water, ensuring faster decision-making, stronger collaboration, and deeper alignment with the organisation’s operational priorities.
The Applications Management Services contract with Accenture will focus on enhancing the performance, stability and continuous improvement of Scottish Water's enterprise applications, enabling greater business agility, improved customer experiences and more efficient operations.
Chris Toop, Scottish Water’s Director of Digital & Innovation, said:
"These strategic relationships are an important step in our digital journey. By working with Accenture and BT, we are strengthening the technology foundations that support every part of our business.
"Together, we'll deliver more resilient, secure and efficient digital services that enable us to better serve our customers, support our colleagues and meet the challenges of the future."
Representatives from both organisations welcomed the opportunity to work with Scottish Water.
Gordon McKirdy, Utilities Lead for Accenture UK & Ireland, said:
“This collaboration is about applying technology not just to improve how systems run, but to help safeguard services that communities across Scotland depend on every day.
“With our Glasgow-based team at the heart of this work, we're proud to support local talent, innovation and long-term capability in Scotland.”
Ishbell MacPhail, Head of BT Business, Scotland commented:
“We’re proud to be working with Scottish Water to help keep essential water services running smoothly for millions of people across Scotland. By bringing together BT’s nationwide network, security expertise and local Scottish teams, we’ll help make the services people rely on every day be more resilient, responsive and ready for the future.
"It’s about using technology to support better, more dependable services for homes, businesses and communities across Scotland.”
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