South East Water is putting Google Cloud technologies at the centre of its five-year modernisation project, enabling improved collaboration, data insights and access to artificial intelligence (AI). Google Workspace and Gemini AI are two of the technologies being implemented after the company decided it wanted much more than just a technology refresh.
Richard Bannister, head of IT at South East Water, said Google was chosen after alternatives “felt more like upgrades, rather than true transformation”. The utility, which has 50 in-house IT staff, partnered with Google Cloud service company Qodea on the project.
“As part of our five-year digital transformation strategy, we identified technology modernisation as a cornerstone for success,” said Bannister. “Our goal was to achieve a complete shift in how we work and collaborate – empowering employees, streamlining operations and improving customer service through the right technology.”
South East Water provides drinking water to more than 2.3 million people throughout Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. “We operate a number of core IT systems that are essential for delivering clean and reliable water services to our customers. These critical systems underpin every aspect of our operations,” added Bannister.
Core IT includes HR systems, account and contact centre technologies, laboratory systems, project management tools, field apps for teams working on-site and cyber security platforms.
“These systems are a fundamental layer of our overall IT environment. Underpinning all of this are our data platforms to enable us to make data-driven decisions,” said Bannister.
Google Cloud core
The company has made Google Workspace a core tool going forward, said Bannister: “With teams spanning field operations, delivery partners and customer care, we quickly realised that seamless collaboration was a top priority. Google Workspace meant we could share information and emails and have chats in a single space. This has been integral for improving our efficiency and responsiveness.
“The integration of Gemini AI is particularly exciting, and while we’re still early in the roll-out, tools like NotebookLM and Agentspace are already showing strong potential in helping us unlock insights from our data and make that knowledge more accessible across the organisation.”
Other Google technologies will be adopted later this year, said Bannister, including Google Chromebooks and AppSheet: “AppSheet will allow us to build a centralised, secure source of truth that not only simplifies daily operations, but will boost confidence in our data’s accuracy and security.
“This is critical in ensuring we maintain our duty of care for our customers, particularly for those on the Priority Services Register [PSR]. Whether we need to update residents about a burst pipe or ensure bottled water deliveries for vulnerable individuals, Google’s tools mean customers can be informed real time, as events unfold.”
Bannister said the Covid pandemic and the operational challenges it brought led to the organisation using a variety of applications to keep staff connected, but this left it with a “disconnected digital environment”.
“Scattered spreadsheets and chat threads had become our default communication methods,” he said. “This meant that not only could we not get a clear view of our data, but it was difficult to coordinate effectively, especially during events that required quick mobilisation from teams. We needed a solution that wouldn’t just replicate what we had, but would position us to take full advantage of modern technology.”
Wider industry challenges
Bannister said operating in the water industry comes with the responsibility to keep systems resilient and running smoothly, which lends itself to the latest technologies.
“One way we achieve this is through the deployment of smart metering and intelligent network technologies. The data generated by advanced smart meters, combined with sophisticated network monitoring, provides real-time insights into the health and performance of our infrastructure,” he told Computer weekly.
“This enables a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance – anticipating issues before they happen – and condition-based maintenance, where we intervene based on the actual state of our assets. This proactive approach minimises disruptions, secures our water supply and improves overall service reliability.
He said technology can also help to meet customer demand for faster, more efficient and seamless communications: “To meet these demands, we must eliminate silos across departments and ensure our teams are fully connected.
“Collaborative technologies enable seamless information sharing, allowing teams to work more effectively and respond quickly to emerging issues. At the same time, data-driven decision-making is at the core of our strategy.”
South East Water is also planning on increasing the role of AI in the business, said Bannister: “We are embracing the advancements in AI to further enhance our capabilities. Agentic AI has the promise to help us become more efficient across multiple areas.”
