Southern Water has been hit with the largest ever fine for
environmental offences after pleading guilty to 51 charges relating
to unauthorised sewage discharges between 2010 and 2015. The case
is the largest criminal investigation ever undertaken by the
Environment Agency and included 6,971 illegal discharges from 16
waste water treatment works and one storm overflow brought together
in one prosecution. The offences were found to be caused by
deliberate failings, causing Category 1 (major) harm to protected
areas, conservation sites and oyster beds in rivers and coastal
waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex.
Chair of the Environment Agency, Emma Howard Boyd said
“This sentence shows fines for environmental offences are
starting to reach the same level as the highest fines for crimes in
financial services and that is good. There is growing scrutiny of
the environmental performance of companies all over the world, this
sends an important message to global investors that
