The Environment Agency has secured criminal proceedings against Southern Water and four former senior executives, including ex-chief executive Matthew Wright, for conspiring to defraud the regulator and Ofwat between 2012 and 2017. The charges allege deliberate manipulation of Operator Self-Monitoring tests by creating artificial no-flow events at wastewater treatment works to undermine compliance checks. The cases follow a High Court ruling affirming the EA’s authority to prosecute individuals for such offences, with the matter now proceeding at Medway Magistrates Court. In addition to the conspiracy charges, Southern Water faces separate allegations of breaches of environmental permits linked to the same conduct. The offenses carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and prosecutors say the investigation reveals a long-running scheme tied to the company’s environmental responsibilities. The developments mark a high-profile assertion of accountability in the water sector."