The Environment Agency (EA) has embarked on its largest criminal investigation to date, targeting potential widespread breaches of environmental permit conditions at wastewater treatment works across all water and sewerage companies.
The EA said its initial assessment indicates an extensive non-compliance of these permit conditions by all companies involved.
The investigation involves reviewing thousands of documents related to water company processes and actions.
Each document contains valuable data to determine if permit breaches have occurred.
EA specialists have analysed more than two billion pieces of data to understand the scale of potential non-compliance.
Their findings indicate “widespread and serious breaches of environmental permit conditions by all companies” under investigation.
The EA will move forward to the next phase of the investigation.
Over the following months, investigative teams will visit wastewater treatment works, specifically focusing on sites where potential offences might have occurred.
These visits play a crucial role in gathering and safeguarding pertinent evidence for ongoing inquiries.
