Northumbrian Water, which also operates Essex and Suffolk Water, operates various sites, from offices and treatment works to critical infrastructure. Maintaining controlled, accountable access across such varied places to authorised personal requires a solution that can adapt in line with operational priorities and physical changes.
Chris Tindale, Security Systems Technician for Northumbrian Water said: “Our estate is both extensive and varied, so it is important our access control system is reliable and straightforward to manage. Comelit-PAC has worked with us to achieve a migration to Access Central, allowing us to update the complete platform in a structured way. Working on our timetables has enabled continued maintenance across our sites while improving oversight and day-to-day management. The ability to retain much of our existing infrastructure has also been a significant benefit.”
Over several years, the water utility’s access control system has evolved in line with business needs and software, progressing from PAC for Windows to PAC Vision and SecureNet, and now operating on Comelit-PAC’s latest Access Central platform. This phased transition has preserved hardware investments, Comelit-PAC points out.
The system uses a mix of PAC 500 Series controllers over TCP/IP, enabling connectivity across sites. Where fixed-line infrastructure is limited, GSM/GPRS connections provide consistent communication, to work in urban and remote settings. Using PAC access readers, the system continues to deliver credential management across the estate.
