Ex-UK water boss charged in plot to 'manipulate' test results

The former chief executive of British water company Southern Water, Matthew Wright, has been charged with conspiring to manipulate water quality tests. The allegations suggest a "carefully planned and extensive fraud and dishonesty at a high level," according to a judge.

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carefully planned and extensive fraud and dishonesty at a high level

Wright and three other individuals are accused of manipulating compulsory water quality tests over a five-year period, from 2012 to 2017. This alleged conspiracy aimed to defraud the Environment Agency and the regulator Ofwat. The charges were made public after the men lost a High Court legal bid to block them, a decision the Environment Agency hailed as a "significant judgment."

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very serious allegations of criminal misconduct

Southern Water itself faces separate charges for breaching environmental permits related to the same allegations. The company has been under intense public scrutiny for years due to the significant discharge of sewage into rivers and the sea. In November, the company apologized after plastic pellets washed ashore on southern England beaches, admitting it was "highly likely" to be responsible for the pollution incident.

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significant judgement

The government is currently overhauling the water regulation system, including implementing stricter sanctions for executives in the sector. If convicted, Wright and the others could face up to 10 years in prison. The Environment Agency stated that water companies commit an offense if they deliberately manipulate wastewater flows when samples are to be taken for testing.

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highly likely