Southern Water's water bills are set to increase by 47% to £703 per year, as reported in The Week's 'Awful April'. This significant rise in the cost of an essential service is viewed as a profit-driven decision that could burden low-income households and exacerbate economic inequality.

Southern Water confirmed that customer data was stolen in a ransomware attack by the Black Basta crew, and the company responded by notifying affected customers, employees, and regulatory bodies, while offering support measures such as free credit monitoring. The incident highlights the challenges in securing critical infrastructure, yet Southern Water's response has been praised as a best practice in incident management.

Southern Water's CEO publicly apologized for past environmental mismanagement, including the release of untreated sewage, and outlined commitments to upgrade infrastructure, improve waste management, and engage with local communities to rebuild trust and ensure environmental compliance.

Southern Water was fined a record £90 million after pleading guilty to 6,971 illegal sewage discharges that caused widespread environmental harm. The court found that the company deliberately misled the Environment Agency, undermining regulatory oversight and contravening environmental permits.

Southern Water pleaded guilty to 6,971 instances of unpermitted sewage dumping over a five-year period, resulting in a record fine of £90m. The company deliberately misled regulators about its compliance, reflecting a significant disregard for environmental protection and public trust.

Southern Water was fined £90m in July 2021 after failing to invest adequately in its sewage system, which resulted in environmental violations including the dumping of raw sewage into the sea and subsequent public safety issues.