Former CEO Matthew Wright and three other ex-employees named in criminal proceedings by Environment Agency
The former chief executive of Southern Water is being prosecuted for conspiracy to defraud along with three other former employees, over allegations they manipulated sewage wastewater testing results to avoid tens of millions of pounds in fines.
Matthew Wright is the first water industry boss to face a criminal charge over sewage discharges. He and three others are charged with conspiracy to defraud the Environment Agency and the water regulator, Ofwat, between 2012 and 2017 by creating artificial “no-flow” events at wastewater treatment works to influence compliance checks.
The case focuses on operator self-monitoring, which was introduced to cut regulatory costs in 2009. The other former employees are Philip Barker, Clive Massey and Mark Gregory.
Operator self-monitoring allows water companies to monitor and test discharges from their wastewater treatment works, rather than the testing being carried out by an independent regulator.
Strict rules govern how samples must be taken to ensure their independence and accuracy. It is an offence if there is evidence that flows or data have been deliberately manipulated to avoid compliance checks.
Southern Water, which has more than 4 million customers, is also being charged with breaching environmental permits linked to the same conduct. Three further individuals are also being charged linked to failure to comply with environmental permits.
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Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/22/former-southern-water-employees-trial-alleged-cover-up-wastewater-testing
