South West Water increases compensation after cryptosporidium outbreak

The compensation for the 16,000 households being told to boil their water in South Devon has been increased by £100 - after criticism of the £15 offering.

Yesterday the company’s extended monitoring and sampling found small traces of cryptosporidium in the Hillhead area of its local water network - after previously saying the water was safe to drink.

South West Water has confirmed it will now increase the compensation by £100 to say 'sorry for the stress and worry the situation has caused' and 'this will automatically be paid to customers' while the company 'continues to keep the level of compensation under review'.

South West Water is also setting up a dedicated phoneline to talk to local businesses and water retailers about the impact this may have had on them and to fast-track any compensation due

Laura Flowerdew, South West Water’s Chief Customer and Digital Officer, said: “We sincerely apologise for the impact this is having on our customers in the Brixham and Alston areas.

“Protecting the health of our customers and providing them with a clean, fresh drinking water supply is our number one priority and we will continue to work around the clock to make sure that happens as soon as possible.”

South West Water is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency and other public health partners to urgently investigate how cryptosporidium is getting into its network so it can be fixed and the drinking supply returned to the high quality standards expected by its customers as quickly as possible.

The company has set up two bottled water collection points at Broadsands Car Park in Paignton, and Fresh Water Quarry Public Car Park in Brixham, where customers can collect bottled water. It continues to deliver bottled water for those customers that need it.

If customers are unsure whether they are in the affected areas, they can check on South West Water’s postcode tracker here

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