Polly Billington MP has welcomed Environment Agency enforcement action after four former Southern Water employees — including the former chief executive — were charged over allegations that they planned to manipulate water quality tests to avoid £45m in financial penalties.
The East Thanet MP, who co-chairs the Coastal Communities group of MPs and has campaigned on water quality and coastal issues since entering Parliament, said the charges send a clear message to water companies about their obligations to tackle pollution.
“The decision to charge the former Chief Executive of Southern Water and three others over allegations that they planned to manipulate water quality tests to avoid paying financial penalties of £45m sends an important message to water companies that they must take seriously their obligations to tackle pollution and clean up their act. I welcome this enforcement action by the Environment Agency, and as the MP for East Thanet will continue to campaign for robust action to increase accountability in Britain’s broken water industry.”
