Two people taken to hospital after parasite outbreak in Brixham
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed.
Two people have been taken to hospital after a parasite outbreak in Brixham, the Environment Secretary has confirmed.
Steve Barclay said in response to an urgent question in the Commons on the contamination, that the situation had caused "considerable concern and disruption to the local community".
South West Water said it believed a damaged air valve on private land was the cause for the outbreak of the waterborne disease cryptosporidium.
On Tuesday, the water company said tap water in the town was safe to drink, but U-turned less than 24 hours later.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said 46 cases of cryptosporidium had been confirmed.
Mr Barclay said “...but given symptoms may take up to 10 days to emerge, obviously that may continue to rise."
Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall, whose Totnes constituency covers Brixham, said the situation was "totally unacceptable" in the 21st Century.
He said: "The anger in Brixham is palpable, the frustration is apparent, and the sheer inconvenience that has been put on them by South West Water is absolutely abhorrent.
"For 24 hours people were still able to drink the water, South West Water continued to say there was no problem.
“The reason that people are ill and 46 is most certainly an underestimation, is because of that time period in which people were able to go on drinking it."
About 16,000 homes and business remain under a boil water notice.
On Friday, South West Water CEO Susan Davy apologised for the outbreak and said it had "fallen significantly short".
The water company said compensation had increased to £215 for about 2,500 of its customers still subject to boil water advice in the Hillhead, upper Brixham and Kingswear areas.