Residents of the Brixham area in south Devon have criticised South West Water (SWW) for its handling of a recent waterborne parasite outbreak that has made many people ill. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified 46 cases of cryptosporidiosis, which causes prolonged diarrhoea, and another 100 people have reported symptoms of the disease. SWW has apologised and said it is trying to find the source of the problem. About 16,000 homes and businesses in the area have been advised to boil their water before drinking it.
Residents in the area have described the situation as “terrible” and claimed that SWW’s response was “poor”. One resident, who comes from New Zealand and has suffered from the disease, said SWW’s offer of £115 compensation was an “insult”. Another resident said the situation had “impacted our family unit terribly”. SWW initially said that the tap water in Brixham was safe to drink, and then told residents to boil it after the disease was found in water.
SWW said that it had no issues with its treated water and that it was sorry for the incident. The company said it had established bottled water stations and was delivering drinking water to those who needed it. It was also coordinating with the UKHSA and public health authorities to address the contamination.
Cryptosporidiosis is common in the UK and usually caused by contact with infected animals. Swimming pools, lakes and rivers can spread the disease if they are contaminated. Symptoms include watery diarrhoea for more than two or three days, as well as stomach cramps and fever. There is no medical treatment but the disease usually clears up after several weeks
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