South West Water has advised customers in parts of Devon to boil their drinking water before consuming following new test results for cryptosporidium.
Small traces of the organism were identified in the early hours of Wednesday 15th May. The water company is working with the UK Health Security Agency and other public health partners to urgently investigate and eliminate the source.
The water company confirmed that the data from their tests over the last several weeks showed that the treated water leaving their treatment works was not contaminated.
However, in the Hillhead section of their network further tests taken on Wednesday 15th May found small traces of cryptosporidium and, working with the advice of UK Health Security Agency, issued the boil water notice.
South West Water’s Chief Executive, Susan Davy, said:
“Our ground technicians have been working around the clock to identify the source of the contamination and rectify the situation so we can resume a normal water supply. While we urgently find and fix the problem, we have been delivering bottled water to vulnerable customers and to local businesses, including schools. We have also made bottled water available to residents in the local area.
“I understand the significant impact the boil water notice has had on daily life. In recognition of this burden, our compensation payment will be increased to £115. This payment will be made automatically, where we have direct debit details, or applied as a credit to your next water bill, where we do not. You do not need to take any action.
“To those in the affected area and our customers across the South West, I am truly sorry for the disruption and wider anxiety this has caused. While incidents like these are thankfully very rare, our customers expect a safe, clean, and reliable source of drinking water. I know on this occasion we have fallen significantly short of what you expect of us.”
