As part of our Meet the Expert series, we are delighted to spotlight team members from across Phenna Group who bring deep expertise, innovation, and passion to their work.
Today, we introduce Marc Downes, Regional Performance Manager at ECAS
Protecting the UK’s water environment takes more than infrastructure alone. It also requires specialist expertise, community collaboration, extensive regulatory knowledge, and a deep understanding of how everyday behaviours affect complex sewer networks. Few companies strike this balance as effectively as ECAS (Environmental Compliance and Services).
Marc Downes is a Regional Performance Manager at ECAS – a company that works with businesses and households to protect water and wastewater systems and improve the environment. On behalf of water companies, ECAS teams are deployed into the community to engage with and educate bill payers about sewer misuse and to enforce compliance.
About ECAS
ECAS (Environmental Compliance and Services) is the utility partner of choice for the water industry in the UK and beyond. On behalf of water companies, they engage and educate customers and communities about sewer misuse and enforce compliance where necessary to help protect and enhance the natural environment. Their award-winning approach has been proven to reduce sewer blockages, flooding, and pollution. They also work with businesses to become more water-efficient in the face of future water shortages. Overall, their purpose is to inspire organisations and households to think and behave differently to drive positive, sustainable, and long-lasting environmental change.
A career built on seeing both sides of the challenge
Now six years into his time at ECAS, Marc’s role centres on protecting the environment from the impacts of sewer misuse and pollution, work he finds is varied, challenging, but rewarding.
Before joining ECAS, Marc worked for a national company, but headquartered in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, supplying grease-trapping equipment. It was there that he first encountered ECAS.
Marc also had a spell at a manufacturing business producing products such as wet wipes, items now widely recognised as a major contributor to sewer blockages.
He explains, “That experience gave me a unique perspective. I’ve seen how manufacturers rely on flushability claims, and later how water companies deal with the consequences of misuse every day.”
What a Regional Performance Manager does
In his current role at ECAS, Marc oversees multiple water company contracts and manages the day-to-day delivery of environmental compliance services across several regions.
At the heart of his work is supporting and leading ECAS’s Environmental Enforcement Officer teams, ensuring their safety, well-being, and performance while maintaining consistently high operational standards.
Marc says, “No two days are the same. One day I might be working with legal professionals for a Section 111 prosecution; another day I could be filming an awareness video for a water company or out on site tackling FOG (fat, oil, and grease) issues in the network.”
Alongside operational delivery, Marc’s accountable for meeting KPIs and continuously identifying ways ECAS can strengthen its service offering to better support its clients.
Turning technical expertise into environmental protection
Marc’s core areas of expertise are case investigations and sewer network analysis. This includes mapping sewer systems, identifying contributors to sewer misuse, coordinating on-site investigations, and reviewing mitigation proposals against engineering and regulatory standards.
This work is critical for both businesses and water companies. For example, some food businesses might invest in equipment such as grease traps, believing they’re compliant, only for issues to arise later because of undersized or poorly designed installations, or simply because they fail to adhere to the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines.
Marc explains, “In this case, our expertise will help a business avoid unnecessary costs, rework, or enforcement action.
“At the same time, we reduce the risk of blockages, flooding, and pollution that impact communities, the environment and water company infrastructure.”
That balance, protecting sewer networks while supporting fair, proportionate compliance, is central to ECAS’s mission.
Delivering measurable results where it matters most
One recent project highlights the impact of Marc and the company’s work. This involved investigating more than 20 separate cases of sewer misuse.
By identifying the true sources of pollution, Marc and the team demonstrated that the water sector was not at fault, saving millions of pounds in potential regulatory penalties. Crucially, the costs of remediation were recovered from those responsible, ensuring that the damage to the sewer network and the cost of remediation were recovered.
Campaigning is also part of the job
Over the years, Marc and his colleagues have played a central role in numerous campaigns to educate communities about the dangers of sewer misuse. These have included TV campaigns, radio shows, press releases, and educational materials, often delivered in partnership with MPs and known industry and TV personalities.
“I’m always willing to help promote the message about preventing sewer misuse, even if it means speaking on camera, which I know many people find uncomfortable. For me, it’s really about making the most of every opportunity to share such an important message, one that I’m really passionate about.”
Stronger together with Phenna Group
Being part of Phenna Group further strengthens ECAS’s ability to deliver for its clients. Marc highlights the benefits of tapping into additional systems and processes and accessing resources that support people development.
He says, “For example, we’ve gained access to a fantastic learning management system that not only builds our skills and knowledge but also makes it easier to track our training, which in turn helps us stay compliant with our requirements.”
Looking ahead: a critical time for the water industry
Marc believes the future of the TICC (Testing, Inspection, Certification, and Compliance) sector will be shaped by increased regulatory pressure and public scrutiny on water companies. With 70–80% of sewer blockages caused by misuse, and blockages being the leading cause of pollution events, the role of organisations like ECAS has never been more important.
Marc says, “AMP8 (Asset Management Period 8) sets ambitious targets to improve the environment and protect our water and wastewater system, and ECAS is ideally placed to help water companies meet them.
“If we can continue to reduce sewer misuse, we can significantly cut flooding and pollution incidents.”
A personal connection to the water environment
Outside of work, Marc’s passion for water continues. He enjoys kayaking and sea swimming with his son, activities that reinforce why his work matters.
He adds, “When you see how misuse affects the places people love, it really brings it home.
“Protecting these environments isn’t just part of my job; it’s personal.”
Marc Downes’ story reflects a rare combination of technical expertise, frontline experience, and genuine commitment to protecting the environment. His work at ECAS helps safeguard communities, support fair compliance, and strengthen trust between water companies and the public.
As regulatory scrutiny increases and expectations on the water sector continue to rise, Marc and his teams remain focused on delivering measurable impact, driving education and behaviour change, and upholding the high standards that define ECAS today.