Cryptosporidium outbreak - Brixham residents told to boil water
The advice from South West Water comes after new test results
South West Water is advising people in the Alston and Hillhead areas of Brixham to boil drinking water.
It follows sixteen confirmed cases of the cryptosporidium bug in the town.
The company's issued this statement:
“Customers in Alston and the Hillhead area of Brixham are advised to boil their drinking water before consuming following new test results for cryptosporidium.
"We are issuing this notice following small traces of the organism identified overnight and this morning.
"We are working with the UK Health Security Agency and other public health partners to urgently investigate and eliminate the source.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will continue to keep customers and businesses updated. Bottled water stations will be set up in the affected areas as soon as possible.”
It says while treated water leaving its works was not contaminated, further tests in the Hillhead section of the network have found small traces of the bug overnight.
Their advice is:
• We ask that customers informed of the notice do not drink tap water without first boiling it and allowing it to cool.
• This should also be done for preparing or cooking food or cleaning teeth. Boiled water can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 24 hours.
• Water can continue to be used as normal for washing, bathing and toilet flushing.
• If people have consumed the water and feel unwell, we advise they contact their GP
• Boil water notices will be hand delivered to affected customers and the postcodes impacted by the notice are listed on our website.