Home / Crime and Justice / Southern Water Accused of Rigging Wastewater Tests
Southern Water Accused of Rigging Wastewater Tests
22 Jul
Summary
- Criminal proceedings initiated against Southern Water and four former employees.
- Allegations involve defrauding wastewater testing results between 2012-2017.
- Southern Water faces separate charges for environmental permit breaches.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated by the UK's Environment Agency against Southern Water and four former employees, including its former chief executive. The allegations center on a conspiracy to defraud the agency and Ofwat between January 2012 and December 2017.
It is alleged that the company manipulated its wastewater testing results by carrying out artificial "no-flow events" at wastewater treatment works. This process aimed to defraud the agency's self-monitoring regime, which requires accurate and independent sampling.
Southern Water, serving over 4 million customers across Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, will also face charges for breaching environmental permits. Three other individuals are implicated for failure to comply with environmental permits in connection with the same issues.
