Charges have been brought against the former CEO of Southern Water for allegedly participating in a scheme to manipulate water quality tests and evade penalties. Matthew Wright and three others are accused of conspiring to defraud the Environment Agency (EA) and water regulator Ofwat.

Last year, the EA sought a summons against Wright, Philip Barker, Clive Massey, and Mark Gregory, all former employees of Southern Water, for the same offense. Despite legal challenges, the summons was upheld by two senior judges this week.

The case is set to be heard at Medway Magistrates’ Court, involving allegations of manipulating no-flow events at wastewater treatment works between 2012 and 2017 to deceive regulatory authorities and avoid penalties.

Additionally, Southern Water faces charges of breaching environmental permit conditions at multiple sites between 2013 and 2017. Three other individuals have also been charged in connection with these offenses.

Environmental permits issued by the EA are necessary for wastewater treatment works, with effluent discharge subject to operator self-monitoring tests. Recent regulations require rescheduling of tests if flow is insufficient, aiming to prevent fraudulent practices.

The summons alleges a deliberate plan by company officers to manipulate test results by creating no-flow scenarios to avoid compliance issues. The accused argue over the EA’s jurisdiction in prosecuting such offenses, while the EA defends its authority in pursuing these criminal allegations.

The charges involve serious criminal misconduct, including fraudulent activities on a large scale to evade financial penalties. The EA emphasizes its commitment to prosecuting environmental offenders and welcomes the legal proceedings.