Brodies advised Scotland's biggest non-domestic water supplier Business Stream on the purchase of the non-domestic customer base of Southern Water, strengthening its position as it prepares to compete in the English water market which is due to open in April 2017.

The deal, which takes effect from April next year, will create the third biggest company in the UK non-domestic market for water and waste water services.

From 1 April 2017 around 1.2 million businesses and public bodies in England will be able to choose their water supplier, an option only currently available to the largest users.

Competition will encourage water suppliers to offer innovative new services, keener prices and improved service levels. Scotland created the world's first non-domestic water market in April 2008.

In the eight years since, Business Stream's customers have benefited from more than £133 million in savings and conserved more than 24 billion litres of water through water efficiency initiatives.

The Brodies team advised on all aspects of the deal, including the acquisition contract and the transitional agreement covering the relationship between Business Stream and Southern Water between contract signing and full market opening in April 2017.

We also provided support on regulatory issues, the TUPE transfer of the employees and on competition law issues.